By; BALA B. BITRUS, Minna.
President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged Nigerian political class on the need to consider themselves servants and not Lords or Masters to Nigerians by exhibiting simplicity and leadership of service delivery above personal interests.
President Buhari, represented during the former Niger state Governor’s final interment at the deceased’s GRA residence in Minna, Niger state described late Abdulkadir Kure as an example of what leadership should be; humility in service and touching the lives of his people who are here today bearing witnesses to his simple but generous lifestyle.
“The death of Engineer Kure will be felt by many who knew him for his kindness, simplicity, very accommodating, a compatriot and a leader who has served the people and for this history will continue to remember him for what he lived and died for”.
The President said the loss of Kure will not be felt by only Nigerlites but Nigerians, the presence of thousands of people both political class who are here to pay their last respect tells it all that he touched many lives, including that of the ordinary man on the streets during his eight years in office.
He prayed Allah to grant aljannah Firdausi to the departed former Governor reminding all that, “Death is an inevitable end to all mortals but those you touched their lives while alive will bear testimonies to whatever legacies left by all who knew you on the day of final journey to eternity while those left behind will bear witnesses to the good or bad works we did when we die”.
Meanwhile, the list of mourners is endless counting the number of personalities, including political heavyweights from across within and outside Nigeria present to pay their last respect to the former Governor of Niger state, late Engineer Abdulkadi Abdullahi Kure who died in a German hospital on Sunday after brief illness.
Former Military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubarkar, political associates, members of the executive council that served during his 8 years in power from the federal and state level and other sympathizers in their thousands stormed the eid praying ground and finally the GRA residence of the former Governor to bid him farewell.
League of Imams led by the Chief Imam of Minna, Sheikh Ibrahim Abu Fari had during the special Janizar prayers at the Minna eid-praying ground, prayed Allah to accept the soul of Abdulkadir Kure and to grant peace to the family he left behind.
The cleric’s prayer session for late Kure was a follow up to series of prayers kick started by the Etsu Lapai, Alhaji Umar Bago Tafida, Estu Agaie, Alhaji Yusuf Nuhu and the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Farouq Bahago when his body had arrived Minna from Germany on Tuesday night.
The former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, former Governor of Sokoto, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Prof. Jerry Gana, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim, former Minister of Defence, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed and the Chairman Daar Communication, Chief Raymond Dokepsi were among the early callers to sympathise with the Kure family.
Others on hand to bid farewell are; the factional chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, former Senate President David Mark, former Governor of Cross River state, Liyel Imoke, former Military Administrator of the state, Col. Habibu Shuaibu and the Deputy Governor to late Abdulkadir Kure, Dr. Shem Nuhu Zagbayi.
Former Governor of Adamawa state, Boni Haruna, Kano state, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former and present Governor of Sokoto state, Attahiru Bafarawa and Aminu Wazili Tambuwwal, Sule Lamido of Jigawa state and Ahmed Shakarau, former Governor of Kano state.
Serving and past members of the National and State Assemblies, political leaders cutting across political parties and all present could not hold back tears as Kure’s remains were brought out of the house at about 11:24 in the morning, Wednesday for the final journey.
Shouts of Allahu kabar from the surging crowd rented the air making it almost impossible for bearers of his remains who had a herculean task trying with utmost difficulties to ferry Kure’s body from the house to his final resting place.
