AMBASSADOR-GODKNOWS-BOLADEI IGALI CONDOLES FAMILY OF LATE-ALHAJI-BAMANGA-TUKUR,-HAILS-ELDER-STATESMAN’S-PATRIOTIC-LEGACY

AMBASSADOR GODKNOWS BOLADEI IGALI CONDOLES FAMILY OF LATE ALHAJI BAMANGA TUKUR, HAILS ELDER STATESMAN’S PATRIOTIC LEGACY

Dave Ikiedei Asei. | Wisdom Tide News | September 13, 2026

​ABUJA — The National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), His Excellency Ambassador Dr. Godknows Boladei Igali, OON, on Saturday, September 12, 2026, led a delegation to the Abuja residence of the former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Late Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, CON, to pay his final respects following the elder statesman's passing.

​The late statesman passed away on Saturday at the age of 90, just three days before his 91st birthday. Speaking during the condolence visit, Ambassador Igali described the late public servant, diplomat, and business leader as one of Nigeria’s most patriotic, unifying, and selfless citizens, emphasizing that Alhaji Tukur lived a life entirely free of tribal, religious, or ethnic bias.

​Highlighting the late icon's transformative contributions to the South-South region, the PANDEF Chairman recalled Alhaji Tukur’s tenure at the helm of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). Ambassador Igali noted that under Tukur's visionary leadership, regional ports including Port Harcourt, Calabar, Warri, and Onne were elevated to operate on equal standing with the Apapa and Tin-Can ports in Lagos, earning him the enduring gratitude of the Niger Delta people.

​Beyond his national service as NPA General Manager and PDP National Chairman, Ambassador Igali commended Tukur’s pan-African economic legacy. He emphasized the late statesman's pivotal role in midwifing key continental trade platforms, including the establishment of Afreximbank and the consolidation of the African Business Roundtable (ABR).

​Reflecting on his personal bond with the deceased, Ambassador Igali expressed profound gratitude for Tukur's humility and fatherly mentorship to young leaders across Nigeria and the African continent. While acknowledging that his passing leaves a major void in national leadership, the PANDEF Chairman thanked Almighty God for granting the late statesman a long, impactful life dedicated to public service, national integration, and peaceful coexistence