By: Babagana Bukar Wakil Ngala, Friday 28th Dec.2018
The former Nigerian Military Head of state General Ibrahim Badamasi Baban Gida IBB has expressed heartfelt condolences to the Family of the first civilian Executive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Turakin Sokoto, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, GCFR who passed on yesterday, Friday, 28 December 2018 at the National Hospital after protracted illness.
This was made known in a statement signed and issued to Dandal Kura Radio International by the former president General IB Babangida, GCFR.
Babangida said ‘’with deep heart and sympathies I wish my heart and prayers go to his Family, the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Sokoto Caliphate and Sokoto State’’.
Adding that Nigeria and indeed Africa has lost a statesman and democrat whose wisdom, counsel, presence and experience and his sterling qualities of honesty and transparency are needed in these very trying moments of our national life.
President Shehu Shagari was a great patriotic leader and an accomplished gentleman, at first a teacher, an administrator, a technocrat and an honest decent unassuming simple Nigerian Leader he added
Stressing that Shehu Shagari will be remembered for his tolerance and politics of peace without bitterness.
He recalled that President Shehu Shagari was a nationalist who never showed any discrimination due to ethnicity or religion and was a very dependable bridge builder.
To keep his memory alive Nigerian politicians and indeed all fellow Nigerians must put to practice all his ideals of peace and party politics without rancour, irrespective of any form of provocation he advised.
General Baban Gida urged all persons vying for political office to emulate him and keep alive the political principles of the late Turakin Sokoto, Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, the quintessential public servant who was “Beckoned to Serve”.
He then prayed for the repose of his soul in Jannatul Firdaus. I pray that the entire nation, his Family, Sokoto State and indeed the Sokoto Caliphate will accept his passing with equanimity.