Emir of Okuta, Kwara lecturers hail Abba Kyari in death

The Emir of Okuta, Alhaji Idris Abubakar, and lecturers at tertiary institutions in Kwara, have described the death of the late Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Malam Abba Kyari, as a great loss to the country.

In their separate reactions, they averred that Kyari’s death was a sacrifice in the cause of serving the nation.

The Emir, who is the Chairman of the Baruten Emirate Council in Kwara, on Saturday said that the death was unfortunate considering the role of the deceased in the transformation agenda of the present administration.

This death, he said, was enough to teach Nigerians a lesson that the much talked-about coronavirus is a reality, hence the need for caution in line with the guidelines and directive of health authorities.

“If somebody in Abba Kyari status can die of Coronavirus, we can begin to take caution; the whole of Nigeria on how to protect ourselves.

“When they started blaming the president that lockdown is illegal whereas this is a method we can use to prevent the spread of this virus.

“As a nation, we are poor. About 90 per cent of the people in the country are poor. So we should abide by the rule and regulations of how to avoid this,” he said.

The first-class monarch prayed for the repose of the deceased, saying his role and effort in the presidency will be missed.

The traditional ruler commiserated with Buhari over the loss and prayed to Allah to protect the country from the ravaging disease.

He described as ignorant those who believe that the outbreak of Coronavirus in Nigeria is a hoax.

“Those of us in the village are highly and maximally taken in the moon over this disease because we don’t have the facilities.

“If it had started in African country the way it started in China, we could have been all dead to be fine and sincere.

“Since there is no vaccine, all of us could have gone and our policies are different from that of the Europeans.

“In Africa, when a person is sick, you will see people trooping out to the hospital to greet the person before you know, it would have transmitted to the whole country,” he said.

He noted that even in Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries where people are sensitive about religion, they were doing all things possible to avert the spread of the disease.

Dr Oba Laaro of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Ilorin, described the late Kyari as an efficient assistant to the President who appointed him.

He said that the deceased served his country dutifully as well as the President.

“Of course he was accused of overstepping his boundary by co-staffers to the President.

“Those who are unable to outsmart him in the race for the President’s ears and attention also loathe his looming influence especially the Tinubu arm of the ruling.

“They framed him up as the face of the cabal in the Presidency as if they don’t parade their own inner caucus.

“He deserves to be recognised as someone who contracted the COVID-19 while on duty for the country,” the don said.

Laaro said that with the exit of the Chief of Staff, the veil of who was actually behind the throne of Buhari’s presidency will be lifted.

“However, President Buhari will do well to use his death and the coronavirus pandemic to re-equip our hospitals and health facilities.

Failing to do so will be the post-coronavirus tragedy of our time. May his soul rest in peace,” he added.

Also reacting, Mr Muyideen Bammeke, a lecturer at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, said Kyari’s death is a great loss to the nation.

“This gentleman just came back from a negotiation for better electricity for Nigeria and in the process picked up the deadly virus which eventually consumed his life.

“He is a highly educated family man and very loyal to his principal.

“He died in active service and it is a one man’s death that can at times be equated to a pogrom.

“Such is the death of Abba Kyari, may Allah grant him Aljanat Firdaus,” Bammeke said.