Former President Dr Goodluck Jonathan has commiserated with the British Royal Family and the United Kingdom over Prince Philip’s death.

In the same, Nigeria’s former Vice President Atiku Abubakar expressed his condolence to the UK and Prince Philip’s family, especially the Queen.

Both Jonathan and Atiku commiserated with the Queen and the UK in separate statements on Saturday.
Prince Philip, until his death, was the Duke of Edinburgh. He died on Friday morning at the age of 99.
Jonathan described him as an epitome of duty. The former president stated this in a condolence message, recalled his meeting with the Duke of Edinburgh during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, Australia, in 2011, noted that he was “most gentlemanly.”

According to him, the late British prince and consort to the Queen of England lived a life of service and was deeply committed to many charitable causes and youth development.
“His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was an epitome of duty. Duty to God, his family, his nation, and the Commonwealth.

“His death, at the age of 99, is a sad occasion for the Commonwealth; that veritable institution to which both he and Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, gave the most valuable service,” said Jonathan.

The former president added, “On behalf of my family and the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, I commiserate with the British Royal Family, and especially Her Majesty the Queen. We also share in their grief and extend our right hand of fellowship to the government and people of Great Britain at this trying time.”

Prince Philip’s death, according to Atiku, is a “sad loss” to the Commonwealth and the world, pointing out that his life was one of service and good works.

“I met His Royal Highness during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting of 2003, which held in Abuja, and was hosted by my boss, then President Olusegun Obasanjo,” the former vice president recalled.

Continuing, he stated, “I found in Prince Philip a man committed to the unity of the world and the advancement of the dignity of humanity as well as the brotherhood of man. His military service, and the dutifully supportive role he played by the side of Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, will forever be remembered, and indeed studied, as an epitome of royalty and loyalty.”

“On behalf of my family and my supporters, I condole with the British Royal Family and pray that the Almighty will grant them the fortitude to bear their loss.”

Also reacting to Prince Phillip’s death, Wale Edun, international board member of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation and its Chairman in Nigeria, expressed his condolence.

Edun particularly sympathised with Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and the chairman of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Foundation.

Edun paid tribute to the late prince’s “fantastic and enduring” legacy of encouragement, support, and empowerment of young people through the award.

This scheme, which Prince Philip founded in 1956 for young people aged 14 to 24, currently operates in over “130 countries and territories,” including 17 African countries.

“In Nigeria, the award currently operates in 11 states, and FCT, with over 28,000 young people who have participated since it relaunched here in 2014. He is gone to rest, but his legacy lives on,” Edun said.