Atiku mourns childhood friend

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of his childhood friend and associate, Mr. Yakubu Tsala (Shettima Mubi), and the son of Professor Abba Hassan (Wazirin Mubi), Aliyu Abba Hassan.

In a heartfelt message shared on his official X page on Saturday, Atiku said he led a delegation of friends and associates on condolence visits to both families in Abuja, describing the loss as a personal tragedy and a blow to the Mubi Emirate and Adamawa traditional council.

“It’s hard to believe that Yakubu, my childhood friend, is no more. All that’s left are the beautiful memories and the friendship we shared,” Atiku said.

Reflecting on their decades-long relationship, Atiku recalled how Tsala played a key role in his early business and political journey.

“Yakubu and I were contemporaries and worked together as business partners and political associates. He helped me develop some of my business concerns from the early days of being General Manager of Gese Derdirabe Farms in the 1980s,” Atiku noted.

He also remembered their joint participation at the 1994 National Constitutional Conference, where they contributed to Nigeria’s transition to democracy and the formation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 1999 elections.

“At the political front, we were both at the 1994 National Constitutional Conference where resolutions were reached, developing the timelines for the final exit of the military government and return to democracy in our country,” he said.

On the passing of Professor Hassan’s son, Atiku expressed sympathy, noting that no parent should ever have to bury their child.

“For Prof. Hassan, having to bury his son does not align with the concept of natural order, but who are we to query Allah’s will,” he stated.

He described Tsala’s death as a loss not only to friends and family but also to the Mubi Emirate, the Adamawa traditional council, and the nation at large.

“May the souls of Yakubu Tsala and Aliyu Abba Hassan rest in peace. My thoughts and prayers remain with both families,” he added.