Encomium
President Muhammadu Buhari Sunday called Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum and some leading traditional rulers of Borno State, including District Head of Banki and elder brother of late Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari, Zanna Baba Shehu Arjinoma, to offer his condolences.
In a telephone conversation, the President commiserated with the head of the family and members; Shehu of Borno, Shehu Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi; Shehu of Bama, Shehu Kyari ibn Umar ibn Ibrahim Elkenemi.
President Buhari described the death of the late Chief of Staff as a shared loss, and urged the government and people of Borno State, members of the family to take solace in the fact that Malam Kyari lived a life worthy of example.
He said, “Abba was the very best of us. He was made of the stuff that makes Nigeria great.”
The President continued to receive messages from far and wide, condoling him and the nation following the demise of his Chief of Staff.
Among those who called or sent letters are: former President, General Ibrahim Babangida; Governors of Rivers, Nyesom Wike, Enugu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Yobe, Mai Mala Buni, Taraba, Darius Dickson Ishaku and the President’s classmates who enrolled in 1953 into the Katsina Middle School, through their leader Sen. Abba Ali.
The President also received messages from the President of the United Nations General Assembly, Ambassador (Prof.) Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, the global network of Editors, the International Press Institute, IPI, the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mustapha Isa, the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, the patriarch of the Dantata family in Kano, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, the leader of the Izala religious movement in Nigeria, Alhaji Bala Lau and Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate, Bala Ibn Na’Allah.
Others are: Nigerian Ambassador to the USA, Justice Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor, Emir of Zamfara, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Attahiru Muhammad Ahmad, Senator Umaru Kurfi, Burhan Karabult, Nigeria’s Turkish partner in the Defence Industries Corporation, DICON, Professor James Momoh, Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and renowned Kano preacher, Ustashi Tijjani Bala Kalarawi.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
