Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan on Tuesday, December 9, 2014 signed the book of condolence for fallen former Nigerian Foreign Minister Olugbenga Ashiru at the Nigerian Embassy, Congo Town outside Monrovia.

The former Nigerian Foreign Minister died on November 29, 2014 in a South African hospital after a long battle with illness.

" He was a personal friend, a friend of Liberia and also an astute diplomat. In his passing, Africa has lost one its finest sons", the Liberian Foreign Minister, who had several personal interactions with the fallen Nigerian diplomat including meeting at numerous regional and international conferences, stated of the late former Nigerian Foreign Affairs.

He was received upon arrival at the Nigerian Embassy by Nigerian Ambassador accredited near Monrovia, Amb. Chigozie F. Obi-Nnadozie who accompanied the Liberian Foreign Minister to the signing room.

Also present at the brief occasion was the Chief of Protocol of the Republic of Liberia, Rufus Neufville and the Assistant Foreign Minister for Legal Affairs, Jeddie Armah.

The late Nigerian diplomat was appointed Nigeria's foreign minister in 2011 and served till 2013 until his removal in 2013 in a cabinet reshuffle.The career diplomat, credited with re-energising Nigeria’s presence in international diplomacy in the post-Olusegun Obasanjo era, played a key role in the diplomatic face-off between Nigeria and South Africa in 2012 over the deportation of 125 Nigerians for not possessing valid yellow fever vaccination certificates. His role in the stand-off paid off as it was eventually resolved.

The late Ashiru is also accredited with succeeding in securing 22 key international appointments for Nigerians. Some of the positions included the commissioner for political affairs in African Union and commissioner for peace and security at the ECOWAS commission. He was born on August 27, 1948 in Ijebu Ode, Ogun state. The product of University of Lagos, was Third Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1972, and served as ambassador to the South Korea in 1991. He was Nigeria’s high commissioner to South Africa, with concurrent accreditation to Lesotho and Swaziland, in 2005.Other countries he served included the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, United Kingdom and Sweden. He was survived by a wife and four sons.