The government of Angola has honoured the Nigeria’s late Head of State, General Murtala Mohammed; former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and foremost diplomat, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, at the country’s 50th independence anniversary.
The awards, presented in Luanda by President Joan Manuel Lourenco, recognised and appreciated Nigeria’s timely and decisive role in Angola’s liberation struggle and the country’s enduring commitment to African solidarity and pan-Africanism.
Gambari, the longest serving ambassador/ permanent representative to the United Nations who later served as the UN’s under-secretary general, personally attended the event.
In a tribute at the ceremony, president of the Angola–Nigeria Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tangyalamba Veloso, hailed Murtala Mohammed’s courage and foresight.
“It’s truly a pleasure because in all my speeches I incorporate General Murtala Mohammed for what he did for Angola,” Veloso said, recalling how Nigeria’s intervention helped save Angola from collapse during its independence struggle.
She recounted how Murtala Muhammed challenged foreign oil companies that threatened to withdraw from Angola, warning them that if they left, they would also lose Nigeria’s market.
“He told them, if you pull out of Angola and don’t give them back their resources, you will also pull out from Nigeria and lose all your money,” she said to an applause.
Angola’s President, João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, said the recognition also celebrated Prof. Gambari’s long-standing contributions to peace and development on the continent.
Gambari, who once mediated peace in Angola under the United Nations, was earlier announced as recipient of Angola’s Peace and Development Medal.
As Nigeria’s former permanent representative to the United Nations and a joint special representative of the UN and African Union in Darfur, Gambari played a central role in mediating peace in Angola following the Lusaka Protocol.
He supervised the implementation of the peace accord, coordinated humanitarian interventions for displaced persons, and supported post-conflict reconstruction through institution building and human rights advocacy.
Gambari ‘s work earned him commendation from the late UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, who in 2003 praised his “tireless efforts and exemplary dedication” to the cause of peace and development in Angola.
Gambari, a former Chief of Staff to Nigeria’s president, remains one of Africa’s most respected voices in diplomacy and conflict resolution.
