Barack Obama Pays Tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Former President Barack Obama is mourning the loss of a mentor, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Anglican cleric, whose work for civil and human rights garnered esteemed praise, died on Sunday (Dec. 26).
He was 90.
Following news of Tutu’s death, prayers and tribute began pouring in, including a statement from the nation’s former leader who took to his Twitter account early Sunday morning with a heartfelt message about the late activist.
“Archbishop Desmond Tutu was a mentor, a friend, and a moral compass for me and so many others,” he wrote alongside a photo of the two sharing a hug. “A universal spirit, Archbishop Tutu was grounded in the struggle for liberation and justice in his own country, but also concerned with injustice everywhere.”
"He never lost his impish sense of humor and willingness to find humanity in his adversaries, and Michelle and I will miss him dearly," he added.
Aforementioned, Tutu died over the weekend after years of health issues with a persistent infection. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed the news as he expressed his condolences to Tut’s family and friends.
"A man of extraordinary intellect, integrity and invincibility against the forces of apartheid, he was also tender and vulnerable in his compassion for those who had suffered oppression, injustice, and violence under apartheid, and oppressed and downtrodden people around the world," Ramaphosa said in a statement.
