Fear Grips Kano as Prominent Professors, Banker, Editor, Others Died Within a Space of 48 Hours
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – To state that Kano State is quaking over the curious death of some of its high personalities and illustrious sons within a spate of two days would be an understatement. The situation has been made worse with the shutting down of the only COVID-19 Testing Centre in the State since last week Wednesday.
As at the last count, prominent sons of the State that have so far died include an economic icon, Prof. Ibrahim Ayagi; a professor of physiology, Prof. Aliyu Abdullahi Umar Dikko and the Regional Manager of First Bank in Kano, Abdullahi Lawal, who was Managing Director of the Defunct Continental Merchant Bank.
Others that were claimed by the cold hands of death are Malam Musa Ahmad Tijjani, who was former editor of Leadership Sunday and editor of Triumph newspapers until his demise.
The list of the high profile death in Kano include, Ustaz Dahiru Rabiu, a former Grand Khadi of Kano State, the Chairman of the Kano State Civil Service Commission, Alhaji Adam Iliyasu Dal, Dr. Musa Umar Gwarzo and Alhaji Nasiru Maikano Bichi.
A brief resume of the Late Prof. Ayagi indicated that he was Commissioner for Economic Development in Kano State from 1975-1978, former Director-General of Kano Foundation from 1987-1990. Ayagi, who was the proprietor of Hassan Ibrahim Gwarzo College, Kano, died after a protracted illness at the age 80.
Similarly, the profile of Prof. Aliyu Umar Dikko indicated that he was Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC) of the Bayero University Kano (BUK) and was involved in the setting up of three faculties of Medicine and Basic Medical Sciences in Bayero University, Kaduna State University and the Yusuf Maitama Sule University.
As at the time of filing this report, there was no known cause of death attributed to the lost sons except that their death were hinged on after brief illness in the era of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
Since there were no tests carried out on any of them, there are passing insinuations in the state of suspicion of possible contacts with COVID-19 which may have led to their succumbing to the devastating disease.
Curiously, all the deaths of the mentioned personalities took place between Friday, April 24, and Saturday, April 25, 2020.
