By John Ogunsemore
US President Joe Biden has declared January 9 as national day of mourning for his late predecessor, Jimmy Carter.
The former president died on Sunday afternoon at his home in Plains, Georgia, The Carter Centre disclosed.
Carter, who celebrated his 100th birthday this October, was the oldest surviving US president.
In a statement on Sunday, Biden declared January 9 as National Day of Mourning for Carter and urged fellow Americans to visit their places of worship to pay homage to the late president.
“I call on the American people to assemble on that day in their respective places of worship, there to pay homage to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr.
“I invite the people of the world who share our grief to join us in this solemn observance,” he said.
Carter ruled from 1977 to 1981, a period marked by economic and diplomatic crises.
However, his public persona improved significantly after he bagged a Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work in 2002.
In a statement, his son, Chip Carter, said, “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love.”