President Goodluck Jonathan has joined other world leaders in
mourning the death of former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher
describing her as one of the world’s greatest leaders.
In a condolence message signed by the President’s Special Adviser on
Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, he said “having already attained a
legendary status in her lifetime after positively transforming Britain
forever in her eleven and half years as Prime Minister, Baroness
Thatcher will, with her passage today formally take her place in history
as one the greatest world leaders of our time”.
He noted that “Baroness Thatcher will be eternally honoured for
serving her country with immense passion and strong-willed determination
as well as for the great transformation that resulted from her economic
and social policies which laid the solid basis for the remarkable
economic growth that was witnessed in Britain under the Conservative
Government that she led.
Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi
Former External Affairs Minister, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi said late
Baroness Margaret Thatcher was a powerful politician who dominated her
national space totally. He said ”she had a clear vision of what she
wanted Britain to be and was totally committed to that vision. She was
passionately devoted to Britain but was either unwilling or unable to
concede that others could also be devoted to their countries.
heir countries.
Flowers
and mementos left by members of the public and admirers sit outside the
home of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in central
London on April 8th 2013. Former British prime minister Margaret
Thatcher, the “Iron Lady” who shaped a generation of British politics,
died following a stroke on April 8, 2013 at the age of 87, her spokesman
said. AFP PHOTO
“She restructured Britain by destroying the post-Secon World War
social welfare system, replacing it with the everyman for himself
system. “Together with Ronald Reagan and working through the World Bank,
Thatcherism found its way into the developing countries through the
adoption of SAP. Street riots following eonomic collapse are the
collateral damage which the world has to endure thanks to Prime Minister
Thatcher’s long rule in Britain.” he said.
Chief Emeka Anyaoku
Chief Emeka Anyaoku who was Deputy Secretary General of Commonwealth
and later the Secretary General ofthe organisation that was the umbrella
body of countries formerly under the British rule told Vanguard that
Baroness Thatcher was undoubtedly a great Prime Minister who made great
impact on British people and was an outstanding person on the world
stage.
Chief Anyaoku who said he worked closely with the late Iron Lady said
although her initial policies towards Africa was hostile, but when she
understood the issues involved, she worked towards the resolution of the
constitutional crisis in former Rhodesia.
According to Chief Anyaoku, Baroness Thatcher played a crucial role in the transition of Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe into democracy.
She was on the six head of government in the 1979 Lusaka meeting of
Commonwealth leaders who produced the package that resulted in the
Lancaster House Constitutional Conference which finally led to the
independence of Zimbabwe in April 1980.
Chief Arthur Mbanefo
Chief Arthur Mbanefo the Odu of Onitsha and former Ambassador to
United States said Baroness Margaret Thatcher was a visionary leader and
one of the most successful Prime Ministers that Britain has produced.
Chief Nbanefo said Baroness Thatcher wll be remembered for her role
in the Falklands Island where she went to war in 1982 with Argentina to
recover the Island for Britain.
He said Britain and the world will also remember her for breaking the
back of the trade unions in the early 1980s as she embarked on her
neo-liberal economic policies that brought the British economy on the
path of growth.
On her policies on Africa, Ambassador Mbanefo said initially Baroness
Thatcher stuck to the policies that were already laid down on how to
deal with the situation in South Africa. “but with time she began to
see reasons and joined in formulating policies that eventually led to
the independence of Zimbabwe and later Namibia, before the dismantling
of the white minority regime in south Africa.
Chief Ebenezer Babatope
In his tribute Chief Ebenezer Babatope said the death of Baroness
Margaret Thatcher has created a big vacuum in the democratic struggle
all over the world.
He said though Thatcher was of the extreme right in the democratic
struggle, she was a piece of beauty in her leadership f British people
when she was Prime Minister of Britain. According to Chief Babatope,
“She was bold, determined, principled, decisive, and unpretentious in
the political leadership she gave her people.
A
picture dated September 9, 1980 shows British Prime Minister Margaret
Thatcher attending the 5th Franco-British summit in Paris. Former
British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, the “Iron Lady” who shaped a
generation of British politics, died following a stroke on April 8, 2013
at the age of 87, her spokesman said. AFP PHOTO
It was no surprise she was known in politics as the Iron Lady. The
PDP chieftain said Baroness Margret Thatcher will for long be remembered
.
But on the domestic scene, late Baroness Thatcher was controversial
for her economic policies especially the poll tax, which was very
unpopular. She was also known to have broken the back of the trade
unions as she tried to privatise ailing British companies.
