•Buhari, Saraki, govs pay tribute

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja, Noah Ebije, Kaduna and Tunde Omolehin, Sokoto

The remains of the 18th Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, was, yesterday, interred in Sokoto, seat of the Caliphate.
He was laid to rest at Hubbaren  Shehu, a cemetery reserved for late Sultans of the Caliphate.
Chief Imam of the Sultan Bello Jumaat Mosque, Alhaji Usman Bello led the funeral prayer attended by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, among other northern traditional leaders.
Former National Security Adviser (NSA) and son to the former Sultan, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), was not at the burial rite.
A Federal Government delegation to the funeral prayer was led by President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari.
Other people on the delegation included Ministers of Interior (Dambazau), Defence, FCT and Justice, among others.
Also Governors of Kano (Abdullahi Ganduje), Kebbi (Atiku Bagudu) and Sokoto Deputy Governor, Ahmed Aliyu were at the burial rite
Leading the tributes, Buhari has described the 18th Sultan of Sokoto, Ibrahim Dasuki, who died Monday at 93 years, as one of Nigeria’s most powerful voices for peace and unity in diversity.
In a condolence message to the Dasuki family, the government and people of Sokoto State, according to his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the president also described the former Sultan as “one who diligently kept faith with the virtues of the Sardauna whom he served as a public servant.”
President Buhari also commiserated with the Jama’atul Nasril Islam (JNI) and the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs over Dasuki’s demise and  said he was one remarkable traditional ruler who devoted his life, tenure of office to the promotion of peaceful coexistence and tolerance among diverse ethnic groups in Nigeria.
Speaking on the former Sultan’s death, Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki described Dasuki as a statesman whose impact was felt in many areas of national life during his active days.
Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, recalled how the late Dasuki helped in reforming local government administration in the country and organisation of Muslim  pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. asir Islam (JNI) Society.
The Senate President commiserated with a son of the the deceased who is currently a member of the Eighth House of Representatives, Abdulsama Dasuki,other members of the immediate family of the late ex-Sultan, the government and people of Sokoto State and the Muslim Ummah over Dasuki’s death.
“It is noteworthy that, during his beneficial lifetime, Dasuki left his mark as an astute administrator, diplomat, Islamic scholar, educationist and played a pivotal role in unifying the Muslim Ummah through the reorganisation of Jama’atu Nasril Islam and the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).”
His deputy, Ike Ekweremadu equally described Dasuki as elder statesman and ambassador of peace.
“The late Sultan was a true statesman, progressive, patriot, pan-Nigerian, and peace ambassador. He understood the import of education to the development of the nation and worked hard and selflessly in promoting both moral values and western education across the Caliphate. He will be highly missed”.
To Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, the former Sultan was “a pioneer reformist who deployed his wide knowledge of Islam and vast experience as a technocrat to make profound impact on his family, community and the nation, at large.”
In a condolence message by his spokesman, Mallam Imam Imam, Tambuwal said at every stage of his life, Sultan Dasuki gave his all to ensure communal harmony and educational development of the citizenry. He said the history of local government reform in Nigeria would not be complete without the mention of the important role Sultan Dasuki and his colleagues played in giving the country the present structure we are enjoying at the third tier of government.
“For the eight years Dasuki spent on the throne, he gave priority attention to the educational development of our people by promoting adult and women literacy in all parts of Sokoto. He equally paid attention to the revitalisation of religious education especially among Imams of various mosques in the Caliphate.”
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) also mourned Sultan Dasuki. In a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, ACF said it “learnt, with shock, the passing on of Sultan Dasuki. During his travails, in and out of exile, maintained a peaceful posture and humility and continued to offer good counseling on how to move Nigeria forward.
The late Dasuki was appointed Sultan of Sokoto in November 1988, after the death of Sultan Abubakar Saddique lll, but was deposed in 1996 and sent on exile under the  military government.
Dasuki was an administrator who started his civil service career at the Native Authority (NA) level in Sokoto to the regional government of the North.
He was at one time Chairman, Northern Nigerian Marketing Board, Chairman of the Committee on Local Government Reforms of 1976. Chairman, Nigerian Railway Corporation and many others. During his tenure, he devoted his time, resources and up-lifted the Caliphate to an enviable position.
He also modernized royalty, brought in elegance and equally promoted the Sokoto Caliphate’s revered status to the admiration of Nigerians and the international community.