Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Nigeria’s House of Representatives,Rt. Hon.(Dr.)Yusuf Buba Yakub,has conveyed the sympathies of the Committee to the Governments and peoples of the United Kingdom, countries of the Commonwealth and the Pacific Region over the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II yesterday at the age of 96.
The lawmaker said the thoughts and prayers of Nigerians,for whom the Queen remains a quintessential figure in our collective history and evolution to nationhood,were with, particularly,the Queen’s immediate family,the United Kingdom and other nations of the world over which she reigned as a figure-head for over seven decades. He also added that the entire world would miss the constant quests for peace and the diplomatic truces the longest-ruling British Monarch mediated in her active years.
In a personally-signed release to his Media Office,Friday,the Adamawa-born lawmaker,also,used the occasion to congratulate the new British Monarch,King Charles III,on his natural succession to the throne of his departed mother.
While describing the 73-year-old former Prince of Wales as a chip of the old block ,who had in all these years learnt under the tutelage of his highly famous mother and Queen,Rep.Buba expressed the hope that the new King would continue to uphold the traditions of one of the most important and longest-surviving Monarchies across the world, especially as they concern other countries outside Britain.
Part of the message reads:
“Our thoughts and prayers are at this time with the Royal family,the Government and people of the United Kingdom,those of countries of the Commonwealth and the Pacific Region over which Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II superintended as a figure -head in the last seventy years.
“As a nation,our history cannot be complete without the name of the departed Queen,who visited our country a few years after her 1952 coronation. We, therefore,join the people of Great Britain and other parts of the world,who are great friends of Nigeria and with whom we collaborate in several fora involving the Commonwealth to share co-operation on issues of diplomacy,like sports,trade and the just-concluded 65th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Conference in Halifax,Canada,among others,to together go through these solemn moments of mourning for the highly-endowed Queen Elizabeth II
” We pray for the peaceful repose of her great soul and the souls of the faithful who have gone before us. We congratulate King Charles III on his assumption of the throne and as a nation extend our hands of friendship to him in the hope that he will continue in the glowing leadership strides of his mother,the departed Queen, especially in the areas of dealing with other parts of the world,” the message concludes.
Nkem Anyata-Lafia
Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to the Lawmaker.
Friday, September 9,2022.
