By Peter Omopo
Accra, Ghana | July 16, 2025 — Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Nigerian leader, Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a “redoubtable patriot” and “staunch African integrationist,” whose influence reached far beyond the borders of Nigeria.
In a statement released on Tuesday morning following confirmation of Buhari’s death in a UK hospital on July 13, President Akufo-Addo said he joined millions across Africa and the world in mourning and celebrating the life of a man he called a “good friend and former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
“President Buhari was an outstanding Nigerian patriot and a firm believer in the integration and unity of the African continent,” Akufo-Addo said. “He was well known to us in Ghana, which he visited often in his youth, and he belonged to the generation of young West Africans who witnessed and participated in the turbulent early decades of our independence movements, including the Nigerian Civil War.”
Highlighting their shared experience as heads of state, President Akufo-Addo recalled working closely with Buhari on critical regional initiatives, including the landmark Accra Initiative, which was developed to strengthen cooperation among West African countries in fighting terrorism, violent extremism, and transnational organised crime.
He also credited Buhari for his leadership in pushing for Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which he said had significantly improved the viability of the continent-wide economic integration framework.
“His decision to lead Nigeria into the AfCFTA greatly enhanced the treaty’s prospects for success,” Akufo-Addo noted, commending Buhari’s strategic vision and diplomatic maturity.
The Ghanaian leader concluded his tribute by praising Buhari’s steadfast commitment to Nigerian unity, his concern for the wellbeing of the Nigerian people, and his legacy of service.
“President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, will be remembered for his exemplary patriotism, his tireless pursuit of a united Nigeria, and his concern for the social and economic advancement of his people,” he said. “May his soul rest in perfect peace in the bosom of the Almighty.”
