Late Maitama Sule Goes Home Today
- Abba Kyari leads FG team for burial
The ancient city of Kano is expected to stand still in honour of the late Danmasanin Kano, Alhaji Maitama Sule, whose funeral holds today, Tuesday, July 4, 2017 at 4pm.
The Kano state government had declared Tuesday work-free day in honour of the late elder statesman.
This is even as the Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari has been appointed to lead the Federal Government delegation to the burial rites.
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo named the Kyari-led team on Tuesday in a statement by Mr Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Media and Publicity (Office of the Vice-President) on his twitter handle.
Akande listed other team members to include the Minister of Interior, Lt. General Abdulrahaman Danbazau (rtd); Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi and Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu.
The media aide said also in the delegation are the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Alhaji Ahmed Idris and some top government officials, adding that the Kyari-led delegation will present President Muhammadu Buhari’s condolence letter to the Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje.
According to the President’s letter: “I have heard this morning, the death of the venerable Alhaji Maitama Sule, Dan Masanin Kano, and one of Nigeria’s famous sons. Although, I knew he was in poor health for some time, his death nonetheless, came as a profound shock.
“As a Minister in the First Republic, he was one of those who assisted our Founding Fathers, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello and Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, to fashion Nigeria politically and lay the grounds of national co-existence.
“Maitama Sule was blessed by God with a wonderful voice and outstanding eloquence. He served with distinction in the First Republic, the Second Military regime, as well as the Second Republic, without him being tainted with the remotest hint of scandal.
“As a person, I found him personable with unceasing good humour. Nothing personified his faith more than the fact that on losing his sight, he did not retreat in himself sulking on account of his ill-fortune.
“Quite to the contrary, he honoured virtually all invitations extended to him and spoke as usual with singular eloquence and unparalleled wit.
“In my discussions with him, I greatly valued his counsel, and I never ceased to be amazed by his concern for the well-being of his country rather than his personal interests.
“Let me extend my sincere condolences to Your Excellency, family and friends, the Government and people of Kano, and Nigerians as a whole, for this most heavy loss. We shall not soon see the like of him.
“May God forgive his sins and admit him to Paradise, Amin.’’
Aged 87, the elder statesman, who died in the early hours of Monday in a hospital in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, will be buried in Kano today at 4:00 pm.
