Elder statesman and chairman of the Northern Elders Forum, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, was on Tuesday buried according to Islamic rites in Kano State.
Sule died in an hospital in Cairo, Egypt on Monday.
A well attended occasion, the burial was graced by top politicians, government officials and Nigerians from all walks of life.
Some of the dignitaries at the burial were the Governor of Bauchi State, Muhammad Abubakar; Professor Ango Abdullahi; the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III; Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje and representatives of the Northern Elders Forum.
Speaking at the burial which held at the Kano Emirate, the governor of the state, Abdullahi Ganduje, described Sule, who is fondly called Danmasanin Kano, as a great patriot.
According to him, he devoted his life to serving Nigeria and Africa.
Shortly after his remains were interred, his residence hosted many of the mourners who were there to commiserate with the family.
It would be recalled that Kano State Government declared Tuesdaya public holiday to mourn the exit of elder statesman.
The state Commissioner for Information, Mohammed Garba, made that known in a statement on Monday.
Garba explained that Sule’s body on arrival from Cairo, would lie in state for some hours at the Emir’s palace, before he would be buried.
Since his death was announced, Nigerians from all walks of life had been showering praises on Sule for living a life of dedication to the growth of the country.
President Muhammadu Buhari in a letter to Ganduje on Mondayhad expressed shock over the death of elder statesman, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule.
In the statement issued by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, the president was quoted as saying Sule’s death was a “heavy loss.”
The message reads in part: “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. May God forgive his sins and admit him to Paradise, Amin.”
