The death of His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, is a sad loss to the Commonwealth and the world. This was a man whose life was one of service and a pattern of good works.
I met His Royal Highness during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting of 2003, which held in Abuja, and was hosted by my boss, then President Olusegun Obasanjo.
I found in Prince Philip, a man committed to the unity of the world and the advancement of the dignity of humanity as well as the brotherhood of man.
His military service, and the dutifully supportive role he played by the side of Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, will forever be remembered, and indeed studied, as an epitome of royalty and loyalty.
His charitable works, which saw him as the patron of some 800 causes and organisations, will also be warmly remembered.
On behalf of my family and my supporters, I condole with the British Royal Family, and pray that the Almighty will grant them the fortitude to bear their loss.
