Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed sadness over the death of a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oluyemi Adeniji.

Adeniji, who served the nation during Obasanjo’s civilian administration, died on Wednesday in London, United Kingdom, at the age of 83.

Adeniji also served at various times in the Nigerian embassies in Washington D.C., Sierra Leone, Ghana and France.

Obasanjo, who is currently in China where he is attending Club of Madrid General Assembly and Annual Policy Dialogue, sent a condolence letter to the Ogun State Government where he expressed sadness over the ex-minister’s passage.

The ex-President said the news of Adeniji’s death left him with a deep personal sense of loss, adding that Nigeria had lost one of its most outstanding diplomats.

He said Adeniji brought his unique knowledge and experience into Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the international community.

The condolence letter read in part, “Ambassador Adeniji’s enormous contributions to the nation, in particular, and the international community, in general, earned him an eminent position in the nation’s gallery of unforgettable public servants.

“In particular, I note his memorable stint in the Nigerian Foreign Service in the decades after Nigeria’s attainment of independence, during which he carved a niche for himself in global diplomacy.”

He added, “I do know that when he was in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he was both respected and honoured by Nigerian missions abroad and foreign missions at home.

“At the international level, especially at the UN, where he served as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General with the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone, UNAMSIL, between 1999 and 2003, professionalism, quality and integrity were his imprint and legacy.”