Kano still as elder statesman Sule is buried

Thousands of sympathisers, including Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari, who represented President Muhamadu Buhari, yesterday attended the funeral prayer for the late elder statesman Dr Maitama Sule, the Dan Masanin Kano.

Sule, 87, died in the early hours of Monday in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, 24 hours after he arrived there for treatment.

The Chief Imam of Kano, Prof. Sani Zaharaddeen, conducted the prayer at  6:08pm. Governor  Abdullahi Ganduje, Deputy Governor Hafiz Abubakar and the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II attended.

Also there were Senate President Bukola Sarki, Minister of Interior. Abdurrahman Danbazau, Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Water Resources, Sulaiman Adamu, Minister of Defence Mansur Dan’ali and Accountant-General of the Federation Alhaji Ahmed Idris, Governors Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Mohammed Abubajar (Bauchi) Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Kashim Shettima (Borno) also attended.

Members of the Northern Elders Forum, such as  Prof. Ango Abdullahi and Justice Mamman Nasir were there.

The business community was lead by Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Alhaji Dahiru Mangal and Alhaji Samaila Funtua. Many politicians, prominent Islamic scholars and  mong others were not left out.

Although the burial was slated for 4pm, the remains of the late diplomat flown in from Egypt,did not arrive in Kano until 4.08 pm.

The body was brought in through the Nigerian Air force Base, Kano in an Air force plane with registration number NAF 913.

The body was interred at Kara Cemetery at Kofar Mazugal in Kano metropolis, at exactly7:22pm after the Maghgrid prayer.

Governors Ganduje, Shettima and Abubakar, received the body which was driven straight to his private residence at Dawaki road in an ambulance, to the awaiting arms of his family and well-wishers for their last respects.

Thousands of mourners and dignitaries from all walks of life converged on the Emir’s palace anxiously waiting to pay their last respect to the elder statesman and to attend the special prayer which was conducted by the Chief Imam of Kano, Prof. Sani Zahradeen in company with the Emir of Kano, members of the emirate council and the dignitaries.

Alhaji Sule was buried at the same cemetery where his late brothers, Madakin Shehu, Madakin Mahmoud and Madakin Sarkin Shano were interred.

Courtesy: THE NATION