Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has expressed his condolences to the government and people of Namibia on the death of President Hage Geingob.
Geingob died early Sunday at a hospital in Namibia’s capital, Windhoek, according to a statement from the presidential office.
The 82-year-old, who was serving his second term as president, confirmed last month that he was being treated for cancer.
“It is with great sadness that I notify you that our dear Dr. Hage G. Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia, died away today.
“At his side were his dear wife Madame Monica Geingob and his children,” a statement issued by acting President Nangolo Mbumba read on X.
African leaders paid tribute to the 82-year-old statesman, describing him as a hero of democracy.
In a statement, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, said the President lamented “the painful loss of this veteran in the struggle for democracy; proponent of good governance, and advocate of economic, social, and political solidarity among African peoples.”
Additionally, former President Olusegun Obasanjo praised the late Geingob as “a patriot and a veteran of Namibia’s independence struggle who served in top political positions since independence in 1990.””He contributed significantly to Namibia’s political and socioeconomic growth. In all of his endeavors, he distinguished himself as an African leader of enormous value to his country.
“Yes, Africa has lost one of its finest sons. “He will be deeply missed by all of us,” Obasanjo stated.
According to AFP, Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed remorse over losing “a partner who was committed to the process of coming to terms with Germany’s colonial history.”
Also, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa wrote on X, “Today, South Africa joins the people of our sister state Namibia in mourning the demise of a leader, patriot, and friend.
“President Geingob was a towering veteran of Namibia’s independence from colonialism and apartheid.
“He was also greatly influential in the solidarity that the people of Namibia extended to the people of South Africa so that we could be free today.”
President William Ruto of Kenya stated that the late Namibian leader “believed in a unified Africa and strongly promoted the continent’s voice and visibility in the global arena.”
“President Geingob was a distinguished leader who served the people of Namibia with focus and dedication,” Ruto said in a statement.
According to AFP, US President Joe Biden praised the late president as “a fearless leader who fought for independence, oversaw the drafting of the new nation’s constitution, and served his country twice as prime minister and then as president.”
“I will miss working with him,” Biden said.
Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director of the World Health Organization, praised Geingob’s efforts to enhance healthcare for Namibians, describing him as a “visionary leader”.
Moussa Mahamat, the African Union Commission chairperson, lamented: “A baobab has fallen.”
Geingob was Namibia’s longest-serving prime minister and third president, having been elected in 2014.
Geingob underwent brain surgery in 2013 and an aortic operation in neighboring South Africa in 2023.
He had been treated at Lady Pohamba Hospital in Windhoek up to his death.