By Oluwaseun Sonde
Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari and his counterpart from South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa have paid tribute to Angolan former President, Jose Eduardo Dos Santos who died after a long illness on Friday in Barcelona, Spain.
Dos Santos ruled Africa’s second biggest oil producer for nearly four decades, died at 11:10 am Spanish time at the Barcelona Teknon clinic following a prolonged illness, aged 79, the Angolan presidency said on Facebook on Friday.
Nigeria President in a statement on Friday, extended heartfelt commiseration to the Government and people of Angola on the death of Jose Eduardo dos Santos, former President of the country.
Paid tribute to one of the founding fathers of Angola, whose active participation, with other young nationalists, in the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola, led to the independence of his country.
Buhari believed that Dos Santos, who received many awards, recognitions for the role he played in stabilising his country after the end of the civil war in 2002, will be long remembered and celebrated for promoting peace and democracy, and opening up the country for foreign investments.
While Nigerian leader’s prayer and thoughts are with the family of the former President and the people of Angola during this period of mourning, even as he prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of the deceased.
On the other hand, South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa also offered his deepest condolences to the people and Government of the Republic of Angola on the passing of Former President dos Santos.
According to him, "I offer, on behalf of our Government and nation, our sincerest condolences to Republic of Angola on the passing of an outstanding revolutionary and leader of a nation.
“Pres Dos Santos’ humble beginnings, his militancy, his exile from the country of his birth and his education in the then Soviet Union resonate profoundly with the journey many South Africans in
our own liberation movement experienced.
"Indeed, José Eduardo dos Santos and the MPLA (Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola) he came to lead extended their revolutionary solidarity and material and military support to our liberation movement.
“This support provoked the apartheid regime and its allies to violate the sovereign Republic of Angola by turning Angola into a battleground for preserving the apartheid regime.
“In the end, through the sacrifices of the Angolan people and the unwavering leadership of President Dos Santos, freedom dawned in a democratic South Africa.
“Today, our two nations are united in mourning as we were in struggle, and South Africa will continue to honour the contribution President Dos Santos made to building the Republic of Angola and bringing peace to our region", South African President said.
Meanwhile, report has it that Dos Santos was once celebrated as the country’s peace architect who stabilised Angola from years of civil war. But by the time his death was announced on Friday, July 8 at 11.10 am Spanish time, most of his fans or supporters had abandoned him.
He was once venerated as a statesman, but had been replaced with clouds of scandal and controversy that followed him shortly after he left office in 2017.
According to report, while on exit, Dos Santos choose a friend Defence Minister, Joao Lorenco as his heir apparent and later succeed him. He felt safe with him to protect his vast interests, as he was to remain as head of the ruling party, MPLA.
Things however started to head south immediately Joao Lorenco took the reigns of power, crackdown on corruption and state capture took a serious toll on Dos Santos.
His son Jose Filomeno was sentenced to imprisonment in 2020, Isabel his daughter is broke, long sacked as head of Sonagol and is now an International fugitive.
Also, his daughter MP was relieved of duties and the former President Jose Dos Santos until his demise has been living in Barcelona largely as a fugitive.
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