TRIBUTE TO FORMER UN SECRETARY-GENERAL, KOFI ATTA ANNAN (1938-2018)

Goodbye to a great man of peace and liberty -Ajulo

With the despairing news of the death of Kofi Annan, one of his quotes which has become my mantra came to mind;
“If one is going to err, one should err on the side of liberty and freedom”

This quote propels me to think of the dignity of the human race and the rights of every man which should never be denied.

Kofi Annan was a man who had the people at heart and this cuts across all the people of the world. He was a man who promoted world peace and his life has been an inspiration to me.

Indeed, the world has lost one of its finest diplomats who will be remembered for reshaping and vitalizing the UN, giving priority to Human Rights, fighting for the control of the spread of HIV in Africa and his declared opposition to terrorism.

Being the first African Secretary-General of the United Nations, he has set a pace at the fore front for Africans and we can only hope to keep up and maintain his stance.

Kofi Annan through his foundation, Kofi Annan Foundation has left a legacy which leaves its indelible marks on the shores of history.

I’m sure with the aim of the foundation which is to promote better global governance and strengthen the capacities of people all over the world to achieve a fairer and more peaceful world, his struggles cannot easily be forgotten.

The office of the Secretary General of the United Nations is number one technically skilled expert office in the world; it is the ultimate enviable seat, when Kofi Annan occupied the position, he never compromised on his standards and beliefs, instead he fought for what he believed in, regardless of the oppositions he encountered. 

However, it’s regrettable to noticed recently that most people who I can term as opportunists, who once they’ve occupied an office change entirely and compromise all they’ve fought for. This should not be so, we should have a heart for the people, make our stand known and never compromise on our beliefs. These I have learnt from Kofi Annan.

Apart from visual public occasions and conferences where we’ve met, it’s saddening that I never got the chance to have a one on one interaction with this great man before he passed on, but one thing I cherish most is his passion and the premium he placed on democracy and freedom for all. And this is what Nigeria needs to run with and focus on at this point in time with the elections coming up next year.

At this point, though it is saddening, but death is inevitable, I join the family, friends and the whole world at large to say good bye to this great man of peace.


Dr. Olukayode A. Ajulo
Chairman, Board of Trustees, Egalitarian Mission for Africa.
Castle of Law, Abuja.
Nigeria.

Actions Before Demise of Former UN Secretary General Kofi Atta Anna (1938 -2018)

Former United Nations Secretary General and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kofi Annan has died, the Kofi Annan Foundation said on Saturday (Aug 18). 

Annan, who is a citizen of Ghana, died in hospital at Bern, Switzerland, in the early hours of Saturday, two close associates of Annan said. 

A statement from the Kofi Annan Foundation also said: "It is with immense sadness that the Annan family and the Kofi Annan Foundation announce that Kofi Annan, former Secretary General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Laureate, passed away peacefully on Saturday 18th August after a short illness."

Kofi Atta Annan was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1997 to December 2006. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize.

Life of Kofi Atta Anna as published by Columbia University:  

Fellow, Committee on Global Thought 

Kofi A. Annan (April 8, 1938 - August 18, 2018) of Ghana, the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, served from 1997 to 2006 and was the first to emerge from the ranks of United Nations staff.

One of  Annan’s main priorities as Secretary-General was a comprehensive program of reform aimed at revitalizing the United Nations, and making the international system more effective. He was a constant advocate for human rights, the rule of law, the Millennium Development Goals and Africa, and sought to bring the Organization closer to the global public by forging ties with civil society, the private sector and other partners.

At Annan’s initiative, UN peacekeeping was strengthened in ways that enabled the United Nations to cope with a rapid rise in the number of operations and personnel. It was also at Annan’s urging that, in 2005, Member States established two new intergovernmental bodies: the Peacebuilding Commission and the Human Rights Council.  Annan, likewise, played a central role in the creation of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the adoption of the UN’s first-ever counter-terrorism strategy, and the acceptance by Member States of the “responsibility to protect” people from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. His “Global Compact” initiative, launched in 1999, has become the world’s largest effort to promote corporate social responsibility.

Annan undertook wide-ranging diplomatic initiatives. In 1998, he helped to ease the transition to civilian rule in Nigeria. Also that year, he visited Iraq in an effort to resolve an impasse between that country and the Security Council over compliance with resolutions involving weapons inspections and other matters—an effort that helped to avoid an outbreak of hostilities, which was imminent at that time. In 1999, he was deeply involved in the process by which East Timor gained independence from Indonesia. He was responsible for certifying Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000, and in 2006, his efforts contributed to securing a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Also in 2006, he mediated a settlement of the dispute between Cameroon and Nigeria over the Bakassi peninsula through implementation of the judgment of the International Court of Justice. His efforts to strengthen the Organization’s management, coherence and accountability involved major investments in training and technology, the introduction of a new whistleblower policy and financial disclosure requirements, and steps aimed at improving coordination at the country level.

Annan joined the UN system in 1962 as an administrative and budget officer with the World Health Organization in Geneva. He later served with the Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa, the UN Emergency Force (UNEF II) in Ismailia, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Geneva, and in various senior posts in New York dealing with human resources, budget, finance and staff security. Immediately before becoming Secretary-General, he was Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping.  Annan also served as Special Representative of the Secretary-General to the former Yugoslavia (1995 to 1996), and facilitated the repatriation from Iraq of more than 900 international staff and other non-Iraqi nationals (1990).

Annan studied at the University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana, and completed his undergraduate work in economics at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1961. From 1961 to1962, he undertook graduate studies at the Institute of International Affairs in Geneva, and in 1972 earned a Master of Science degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management.

Annan was awarded the 2001 Nobel Prize for Peace, jointly with the United Nations. He has also received numerous honorary degrees and many other national and international prizes, medals and honors.


In May of 2009, Kofi Annan became a Fellow of the Committee on Global Thought at Columbia University.

Credit: Columbia University

Read also: Tribute to Kofi Annan

FREAKING: See How Okada Riders Invaded The Runway Of Sokoto Airport While A Plane Was Taxiing

This is not a video game of Airplane Vs Motorcycles. It’s a real life footage from the Sokoto Airport which was taken by a pilot. The plane was taxiing on the first week of August, 2018 when the pilots spotted motorcycle riders using the runway with them. It is alleged that they stormed the airport to welcome one of their political leaders.


The bikers seem to have been excited as one of them can even be spotted waving at the airplane.
Sam Adurogboye who is the General Manager of Public Affairs at The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) confirmed that the agency is currently investigating the matter.

 Credit: AUTOJOSH.com/

PRESIDENT BUHARI SETS TO PROCEED TO LONDON ON 10-DAY HOLIDAY

PRESIDENT BUHARI TO PROCEED ON 10-DAY HOLIDAY

President Muhammadu Buhari begins a 10 working days holiday from August 3, 2018.

In compliance with Section 145 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, a letter has been transmitted to the President of the Senate, and the Speaker, House of Representatives to that effect.

While the President is on vacation, the Vice President will be in acting capacity as President.

President Buhari will be in London for the holiday.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media and Publicity)
August 1, 2018