The remains of Nigeria’s immediate-past ambassador to the US Justice Sylvanus Nsofor have left the host country on his final journey back home.
His casket, draped in the Nigerian flag, departed the Dulles International Airport, Washington, on Wednesday morning aboard a Delta Airlines plane.
At the airport to bid him farewell were officials of the US Department of State, and Nigerian embassy officials led by the Charge D’Affaires Jane Adams-Abanulo.
A brief departure ceremony for the deceased included a guard of honour mounted by US military service members at the cargo section of the airport.
Nsofor’s wife Jean and son Cross accompanied the body expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Thursday morning.
Representatives of the US consulate in Lagos and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will receive the body on arrival in Nigeria.
The 85-year-old retired justice of Nigeria’s Court of Appeal died at a US hospital on December 10 after a brief illness.
Born in Oguta, Imo State, Nsofor assumed office as Nigeria’s ambassador to the US on November 13, 2017, succeeding Prof. Adebowale Adefuye who died towards the end of his tenure.
At a service of songs held in his honour by the Nigerian Embassy in Washington on Tuesday evening, speakers took turns to praise his discipline, incorruptibility and passion for justice.
