|
BNW |
|
B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Obasanjo urges Nigerians to emulate Adebo's virtues
IT was tribute galore for the seasoned administrator and diplomat, the late Chief Simeon Adebo, as eminent personalities took their turns to extol his virtues.
Speaking at the first lecture in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the death of Adebo, President Olusegun Obasanjo urged Nigerians to emulate the qualities of honesty, modesty, hardwork, commitment and patriotism, which the late Adebo embodied.
Obasanjo added that he found Adebo's "honesty, modesty so humbling, engaging and captivating," adding that he was transparently honest and committed.
The President, who referred to Adebo as "a father, confidant and valued adviser," said he was also "good at identifying and utilising talents".
He said the gap created by the death of this "icon, exemplar, simple, unassuming African leader" would be difficult to fill.
The late Adebo was Nigeria's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) before he became the pioneer chief executive of the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
His widow, Regina, led the Adebo children and associates, which included Prof. Wole Adebo, Abiodun and Wole to celebrate the late elder statesman's life.
She thanked President Obasanjo for the honour done the family with his presence at the occasion.
The UN Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Anan, sent a special message eulogising the late elder statesman, whom he described as one of the finest diplomats and technocrats ever to come out of Nigeria.
Anan's message was read at the occasion by the Executive Director of UNITAR, Marcel Boisard.
He said: "His leadership was instrumental in putting in place the foundations of UNITAR. In the institute's ongoing training and research work in support of the UN system, Adebo's legacy remains strong. This distinguished Nigerian was an important leader at the UN and I am therefore very glad to join you in remembering his life and work".
In the 14-page special lecture delivered later by Boisard entitled: "The Importance of Training for Economic and Social Development," he said: "The first attempt, to my knowledge, to apprehend and define the concept of training in the UN was conducted by the late Adebo."
According to him, the late Adebo espoused that "training and capacity building in general seek to respond to the need for empowering local actors to implement the economic and social development strategies of their component authorities".
|
|
||||||||||||
