By Miftaudeen Raji & Seyifunmi Awobiyi

Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Emeka Anyaoku has said the future of the Commonwealth of Nations is assured, regardless of the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, who died on Thursday at the age of 96.

Anyaoku, who made this assertion in an interview with The Morning on Arise TV on Friday described the Queen as remarkable and noteworthy of exemplary character. 

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He said, “There is  a very caring side of Her Majesty, but on the official side, she took her responsibilities with the Commonwealth very seriously. 

“She had audiences with Heads of Governments and in those audiences, she showed remarkable wisdom and patience with a very unusual knowledge of major past events in Commonwealth countries,” he added.

The third Commonwealth Secretary-General noted that the British monarchy for the United Kingdom remains a very special asset for the country. 

According to Anyaoku, the late Queen is a rallying point and symbol of the country’s unity and progress. 

“In the Commonwealth, the Heads of Government at their meeting in 2018, unanimously agreed on King Charles the III as he has now assumed responsibility and new symbolic Head of the Commonwealth and I believe that King Charles when he was the Prince of wales identified with the commonwealth. 

“I once hosted a lunch for him and the commonwealth High Commissioners in London. And I had asked him to speak to the High Commissioners without worrying about the media that there would be no media present then displayed great knowledge and caring for the Commonwealth.

“I think that the Head of Government has decided that he will continue to assume the responsibility of the headship of the Commonwealth,” he said.

Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch in British history, died on Thursday at the age of 96.

Following the official announcement of the Queen’s death by Buckingham Palace on Thursday, tributes have been pouring in for the late monarch from across the world.