President Muhammadu Buhari has mourned Brazil football legend Pele, describing him as one whom the world will never forget for his contributions to the game.
Pele died on Thursday at 82 after a battle with colon cancer, the family said.
The development has triggered an outpouring of condolences with President Buhari joining the long list of world leaders and footballers mourning the legendary Brazilian.
“May he rest in peace. He led a good life and made a huge contribution to the development of global football in particular and world sport in general,” Buhari said in his tribute according to a statement by presidential aide Garba Shehu.
“He had an enormous generosity of spirit and humility despite his greatness as a footballer and sportsman. He also built bridges across nations, races and even religions. He was a UN Ambassador of goodwill. Pele is gone but the world will never forget him. RIP.”
The full statement reads “President Muhammadu Buhari joins world leaders in expressing grief over the death of Brazilian soccer legend, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pele who died on Thursday.
“The world’s greatest ever football player succumbed to death after suffering a debilitating bout of cancer. He won three World Cups and scored over 1,281 goals, becoming the original football icon in a long career for which he was named the “Player of the Century” in the year 2000.
“In a tribute to the football legend on behalf of all Nigerians, President Buhari said, ‘May he rest in peace. He led a good life and made a huge contribution to the development of global football in particular and world sport in general.
He had an enormous generousity of spirit and humility despite his greatness as a footballer and sportsman. He also built bridges across nations, races and even religions. He was a UN Ambassador of goodwill. Pele is gone but the world will never forget him. RIP. ‘ “
