PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari last night said the story of modern Nigeria will never be complete without a chapter on Queen Elizabeth ll of the United Kingdom.
The President, in a statement issued by his spokesman Malam Garba Shehu, said the deceased dedicated her life to making her nation, the Commonwealth and the entire world a better place.
President Buhari, who received with immense sadness news of the passing of Queen Elizabeth ll, said: “My family and I, and the more than 200 million Nigerians have learned with immense sadness of the passing of the Queen and the end of her unique and wonderful 70 year reign. Her late Majesty was the only British Sovereign known to 90 percent of our population.
“Our thoughts and sincere condolences are with the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom and the entire Commonwealth as we join the entire world in mourning her loss.
“The story of modern Nigeria will never be complete without a chapter on Queen Elizabeth ll, a towering global personality and an outstanding leader. She dedicated her life to making her nation, the Commonwealth and the entire world a better place.”
The President, who welcomed His Majesty’s ascension to the throne in line with tradition, prayed King Charles the Third’s reign will witness the continuing robust and sisterly relations between the two nations.
President Joe Biden and other U.S. leaders mourned the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, whose 70-year-reign spanned 13 presidencies and enormous global and diplomatic change.
In a statement, Biden and the first lady called the queen “a stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock Alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States.”
The Bidens wrote that “In a world of constant change, she was a steadying presence and a source of comfort and pride for generations of Britons, including many who have never known their country without her,” and said they “look forward to continuing a close friendship with The King and The Queen Consort.”
She had met with 13 sitting U.S. presidents during her lifetime, dating back to 1951 when President Harry S. Truman welcomed then-Princess Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, at Washington National Airport for a two-day stay in the nation’s capital.
Former U.S. presidents — from Jimmy Carter to Donald Trump — offered their condolences “Melania and I will always cherish our time together with the Queen, and never forget Her Majesty’s generous friendship, great wisdom, and wonderful sense of humor,” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama said the queen’s reign was “defined by grace, elegance, and a tireless work ethic, defying the odds and expectations placed on women of her generation.”
Former President George W. Bush said spending time at Buckingham Palace and having tea with the queen and her beloved Corgis was one of his “fondest memories of the presidency.”
Former President Bill Clinton celebrated the queen for leading the U.K. “with unfailing grace, dignity, and genuine care for the welfare of all its people,” while former President Jimmy Carter called the queen a “remarkable leader” and “an inspiration.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., wrote in a statement that attending the queen’s speech to Congress in 1991 was a personal honor and said that her “extraordinary life and leadership will continue to inspire young women and girls in public service, now and for generations to come.”
Also, French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute, saying the Queen was a “kind-hearted” monarch and a “friend of France”.
“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II embodied the British nation’s continuity and unity for over 70 years. I remember her as a friend of France, a kind-hearted queen who has left a lasting impression on her country and her century.
“Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II embodied the British nation’s continuity and unity for over 70 years. I remember her as a friend of France, a kind-hearted queen who has left a lasting impression on her country and her century,” Macron’s message was quoted.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz described the Queen as a “role model and inspiration for millions”.
He praised her role in repairing relations between the UK and Germany after “the horrors of World War II”.
“She will be missed, not least her wonderful humour.
“She will be missed, not least her wonderful humour” Scholz was qouted.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Queen Elizabeth was “one of his favourite people in the world”.
“She was a constant presence in our lives – and her service to Canadians will forever remain an important part of our country’s history. I will miss her so,” Trudeau’s message was quoted.
Brazilian president, Bolsonaro has declared three days of mourning. BBC also reported that, a sea of people now stands outside Buckingham Palace following news of the Queen’s death.
Sheila De Bellaigue has shock all over her face. The 77-year-old from London says: “I’m feeling very sad as everybody is here. I didnt know until I just saw the flag.”
Describing the Queen in one word, she says: “Staunch!”
She adds: “She’s been a wonderful Queen and will be very much missed.”
Michael Hammond also learned of the news when he saw the flag being lowered to half mast.
The 23-year-old from Southampton, says: “I’m absolutely gutted. I thought she embodied the British spirit.”
The UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, who was appointed by the Queen on Tuesday, described her as “the rock upon which modern Britain was built.’’
“Today, the Crown passes, as it has done for more than a thousand years, to our new monarch, our new head of state, His Majesty King Charles III. With the King’s family we mourn the loss of his mother and come together. We offer him our loyalty and devotion, just as his mother devoted so much to us for so long,’’ she stated.
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair described the Queen as the matriarch of the United Kingdom, adding, “We have lost not just our monarch but the matriarch of our nation, the figure who more than any other brought our country together, kept us in touch with our better nature, personified everything which makes us proud to be British,” Blair said in a statement.
He later continued: “We will mourn her. We will miss her. But our overwhelming sentiment will be of gratitude, profound, heartfelt and sincere thanks for what she did, what she stood for, for the life she lived and for what she gave us, her grateful subjects. Her reign was indeed glorious. And it was our great good fortune to have had her reign over us.”
