Nigeria's former President Olusegun Obasanjo has paid a glowing tribute to former German Chancellor, Mr. Helmut Schmidt for his role in attempt to save him from detention imposed by former military ruler, late General Sani Abacha.

Helmut died on Tuesday in his home city of Hamburg, Germany aged 96.

Obasanjo stated that the late German Chancellor was the first to visit Nigeria in 1977, when he was the Head of State.

According to him, “I was immediately struck by a number of Helmut’s sterling qualities: one, his candour; two, his intellectual capability and attendant wisdom; and three, his perceptiveness and understanding of global issues and their ramifications.

“In a very touching show of genuine friendship and loyalty, Helmut vigorously threw himself into a global campaign for my cause when I became a victim of tyranny in Nigeria and suffered over three years imprisonment for charges that were no more than the imagination of the leadership of the day. Helmut personally, and in group efforts, appealed to General Abacha and other world leaders for my release and justice, to no avail.

“Soon after that visit, Helmut and I were guests of Prime Minister Michael Manley in Runaway Bay, Jamaica, where we discussed the New International Economic Order, and our friendship was deepened with profound mutual respect and affinity of thoughts and ideas on world leadership and the future of humankind.

“In 1983, Helmut and I were privileged to co-found the Interaction Council, with other like-minded colleagues like Late Takeo Fukuda of Japan, a body designed to bring together personalities who, after having served in the highest office in their respective nations, would meet as a unique global policy think- tank, exchange views from their privileged vantage points, and develop joint policy recommendations on select international issues.”

“The Interaction council had such members as Pierre Trudeau of Canada, Lord Callaghan of Great Britain and Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore. The council exercised considerable influence in the policy development of political, economic, social and regional issues. Helmut used to say, when we got together over a drink that we all could agree on one thing: that the world was governed much better when we were in power.

“”I recount, with profound appreciation, the overwhelming confidence that Helmut reposed in me when he thought that I was ably qualified to give leadership to the United Nations in the capacity of the Secretary General in 1991. Helmut opened my campaign and sustained it with letters to various world leaders canvassing for my candidature.

“In typical candour, Helmut was of the opinion that by the trends of international order, not only that the twenty-first century belonged to Asia, particularly China, but that special efforts must be made to prevent Africa from being de-linked from the global scene.

“This is one of many ideas and thoughts with which I will fondly remember Helmut as a source of inspiration and personal challenge for me, as I strive to give quality leadership and service to Nigerians, to Africans, and indeed to humankind”, he added.


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