Tributes as ex-President Shehu Shagari is buried

His body was laid to rest in Shagari town, his country home, shortly after the funeral prayers led by Professor Shehu Galadanci.

Tunde Omolehin, Sokoto

The remains of the Second Republic President, Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Shagari were yesterday interred at his Shagari Village in Sokoto State. He died on Friday at the National Hospital, Abuja, at the age of 93 years.

Shehu Shagari is dead

His body was laid to rest in Shagari town, his country home, shortly after the funeral prayers led by the former vice chancellor of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Professor Shehu Galadanci.

At about 12:55p.m, the remains of the late president arrived at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto, aboard a presidential aircraft marked 5N-FGZ.

It was received by the state governor, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, alongside former Governor Attahiru Bafarawa and members of the State Executive Council.

The body later departed for Shagari town, about 35 kilometers from the state capital, in a motorcade conveyed in the Nigerian Air Force ambulance belonging to the NAF-119 Forward Base, Sokoto.

On arrival at about 2:15p.m, the body was received by the family members and sympathisers before it was interred at his residence.

President Muhammadu Buhari sent a Federal Government delegation led by Mr. Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Federal Government.

The delegation comprised the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh and Minister of Trade and Investment/Women Affairs, Aisha Abubakar.

Other members of the federal government delegation included the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika and Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu.

Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; Kebbi State GovernorAtikuAbubakar and their Zamfara State counterpart, Governor Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, were among the early callers.

Others were former governors of Sokoto State, Alhaji Yahaya Abdulkareem, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, Senator Aliyu Wamakko and former INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega.

The members of the Sultanate Council were represented by the Sultan, Alhaji Sa’ad Muhammadu Abubakar, Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Muhammadu Sama’ila Mera; while the Emir of Gwandu was represented by Alhaji Idris Koko Madawaki.

In his remarks, Boss Mustapha described Shagari as a humble leader who had contributed immensely to the development of the country at large.

He condoled the people of Sokoto State, saying that it was a great lost not to the state, but to the entire people of Nigeria.

Mustapha, however, urged politicians to emulate the late Shagari’s good deeds.

On his part, former Sokoto State governor and Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko described his death as an irreplaceable national loss.

The Senator also said that his demise was a great loss not only to his family, Sokoto State, Sultanate of Sokoto, but to Nigeria as a whole.

Meanwhile, Governor Tambuwal has declared Monday, December 31, 2018 as Public Holiday and special prayer day for the former president.

This was contained in statement released yesterday by his Director-General, Media and Publicity, Malam Abubakar Shekara.

He stated that the governor’s decision was in consultation with the Sultanate Council.