From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari expressed his condolences to the family of Ambassador Blessing AkporOde Clark, who died on Tuesday at the age of 92.
According to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari described the former Nigerian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations as one of the country’s best and brightest career diplomats.
“Every moment of his life, he dedicated to the nation,” he said.
“He was a visionary and an outstanding statesman who left behind indelible impressions on the hearts and minds of people across the nation and in many parts of the world. His loss will be felt near and far.”
The President said he joins family, friends and the government and people of Delta State in mourning a great Nigerian.
“May his soul rest in peace,” he prayed.
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Meanwhile, Dr Christopher C Clark on behalf of the Bekederemo-Fuludu-Clark family of Kiagbodo Town in the Burutu Local Government Council of Delta State has said details of the burial plans will be announced by the family in due course.
In a statement, he noted that at several times in his Diplomatic career, “he was Nigeria’s Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), Ambassador to Switzerland and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Nigerian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York.
“He was one of Nigeria’s leading multilateralists and rose to become Permanent Secretary of the then Ministry of External Affairs. He was one of the critical global personalities in the fight against Apartheid and Racial Discrimination; and a leading world expert on Disarmament.
“Since 1999, until his death, he served as a Member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Foreign Relations.
“Ambassador Clark was a mentor to Nigeria’s Diplomatic Service, and for 50 (fifty) years, helped to shape Nigeria’s foreign policy.
“He is survived by his elder brother, Elder statesman Chief (Dr) EK Clark and other members of the family.”