Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has expressed deep sadness over the demise of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, saying he has lost a friend and brother.
Kyari and Onyeama were school mates at the University of Warwick, England. Kyari was the best man at the foreign minister’s wedding and also godfather to Onyeama’s first son.
Onyeama, in a condolence message on his Twitter handle, @GeoffreyOnyeama, said Kyari, who was his school mate at the university, was a best friend and brother.
In deep shock and sorrow at the passing of Abba Kyari, a best friend and brother. Chief of Staff to President @MBuhari. A true gem and great Nigerian patriot. Irreplaceable. RIP. #StayHomeSaveLives #COVID19 @NigeriaGov @DigiCommsNG @NGRPresident @OfficialAPCNg pic.twitter.com/BXfNRq08ED
— Geoffrey Onyeama (@GeoffreyOnyeama) April 18, 2020
Onyeama’s condolence message followed the Presidency’s announcement of the passage of Kyari who had served President Muhammadu Buhari as Chief of Staff since 2015.
Related: BREAKING: President’s Chief of Staff Abba Kyari is dead
The former Deputy Director-General of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) further said Kyari was a true gem and great Nigerian patriot, adding that Kyari is irreplaceable.
“In deep shock and sorrow at the passing of Abba Kyari, a best friend and brother. Chief of Staff to President @MBuhari. A true gem and great Nigerian patriot. Irreplaceable. RIP,” Onyeama prayed.
Kyari had tested positive for COVID-19 and was receiving treatment in a private facility in Lagos before he died on Friday, April 17, 2020.