From Desmond Mgboh,Kano
The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, yesterday, lost his mother, Hajiya Maryam Ado Bayero.
The late Maryam, who was also the mother of the Emir of Bichi, Alhaji Nasiru Ado Bayero, died in Cairo, Egypt, after a protracted illness.
Palace sources told Sunday Sun that preparations were on to bring her corpse back to Kano for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.
Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, in his condolence message to the family, described the deceased as a disciplined and honest mother who trained her children in the way of Allah.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, the governor urged the family to take solace in the fact that the deceased lived a good life of devotion to Allah and humanity. He prayed Allah to grant the soul of the departed Aljannah Firdausi.
Also reacting to the demise of Hajiya Maryam Ado Bayero, former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, said with the death of the mother of the emirs of Kano and Bichi, another pillar had fallen in the family.
He described the deceased as a personification of motherhood and strong family values that saw her children rising to prominence and behaving as true reflection of their upbringing.
Atiku praised what he called “her positive influence on the life of her children,” adding, “she was the kind of mother all children should be proud of.”
He said one of her major influences was her ability to keep the family united after the demise of Emir Ado Bayero.
Hajiya Maryam was the elder sister of the current Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu Gambari.