Lagos – A national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has urged all Nigerians, regardless of their differences, to live peacefully with one another in order to build a strong, united nation.
Tinubu gave the advice on Thursday when he paid a condolence visit to the Lagos family home of former governor of old Western Region Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo who died on Wednesday.
The APC chieftain visited the late Adebayo’s family on a day the late elder statesman should have turned 89, and joined other eminent personalities to sing “For He Is a Jolly Good Fellow,’’ in honour of the deceased.
He said no nation attained progress or prosperity in the absence of peace and unity, urging all Nigerians to work assiduously for peaceful-coexistence of Nigeria.
The former Lagos State Governor described Adebayo as a patriot and a nationalist, who in his days fought for, and struggled for the unity of the country.
He said that the late Adebayo gave exemplary leadership, as he made positive impacts as military officer, as a nationalist and as a Yoruba elder.
“Late Adebayo was a great leader who fought for the unity of this country and its continued progress. He left a legacy of achievements for us to emulate and he was an inspiration to us.
“Although he is gone, rather than mourn, we are celebrating this great achiever who has left a lot for us to consolidate upon for the continued development of our nation,“ he said.
Tinubu urged leaders to learn from the life and times of the deceased and put the unity and the prosperity of the nation first in all they did.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other prominent Nigerians who visited the Adebayos to commiserate with them include Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State and Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi.
In his terse speech, Ambode described Adebayo as an epitome of peace who did a lot for the cohesion and development of the nation.
He said the nation had lost a rare gem in Adebayo, but the consolation was that the former governor of Western Region left a legacy of achievements.
“He was a symbol of peace and he did his best for the unity and progress of this country,“ Ambode said.
Fayemi said late Adebayo was a father figure who nurtured people into greatness and made positive impacts on lives.
He said that he benefitted from the wise counsel of the deceased when he was Ekiti governor.
“For us in Ekiti, it`s celebration. We are celebrating the glorious exit of one of our founding fathers who nurtured and inspired some of us.
“Late Adebayo lived a fulfilled life and his achievements as a patriot are there for all us to see and build on,“ he said.
NAN reports that former Interim National Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande; former Delta State governor, Chief Emmannuel Uduaghan and former Ogun State governor, Chief Gbenga Daniel, also visited to commiserate with the family.
Daniel said Adebayo was a great man who contributed immensely to the lives of many including him.
He said the life and times of the former military officer would continue to be a reference point in the nation`s history for the role he played in nation-building.
“We are going to miss him. He was a great man who touched lives. Nigeria has lost a colossus. He was a symbol of peace, “ he said.
NAN reports that the visitors were all received by late Adebayo`s widow, Modupe; his son, Mr Niyi Adebayo, who is a former governor of Ekiti State, as well as other family members.
