Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday named Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, as the head of the Federal Government delegation to the funeral of the late Maitama Sule.
Maitama Sule, 87, who died on Monday in an Egyptian hospital, will be buried on Tuesday evening in Kano state.
His corpse, which arrived Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja around 1:30pm on Tuesday, would be conveyed to Kano via Presidential jet by the delegation.
Osinbajo’s media aide, Laolu Akande, in a series of tweets on Tuesday, said Kyari would be accompanied by the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahaman Danbazau; Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi and the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu.
Mr Akande said the Accountant General of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Idris and some government functionaries were part of the delegation.
They are expected to submit President Muhammadu Buhari’s letter of condolence to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
The letter reads: “I have heard this morning, the death of the venerable Alhaji Maitama Sule, Dan Masanin Kano, and one of Nigeria’s famous sons. Although, I knew he was in poor health for some time, his death nonetheless, came as a profound shock.
“As a Minister in the First Republic, he was one of those who assisted our Founding Fathers, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello and Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, to fashion Nigeria politically and lay the grounds of national co-existence.
“Maitama Sule was blessed by God with a wonderful voice and outstanding eloquence. He served with distinction in the First Republic, the Second Military regime, as well as the Second Republic, without him being tainted with the remotest hint of scandal.
“As a person, I found him personable with unceasing good humour. Nothing personified his faith more than the fact that on losing his sight, he did not retreat in himself sulking on account of his ill-fortune.
“Quite to the contrary, he honoured virtually all invitations extended to him and spoke as usual with singular eloquence and unparalleled wit.
“In my discussions with him, I greatly valued his counsel, and I never ceased to be amazed by his concern for the well-being of his country rather than his personal interests.
“Let me extend my sincere condolences to Your Excellency, family and friends, the Government and people of Kano, and Nigerians as a whole, for this most heavy loss. We shall not soon see the like of him.”
President Buhari’s letter released on Monday then prayed “May God forgive his sins and admit him to Paradise, Amin.”
