President Paul Biya of Cameroon has condoled with President Muhammadu Buhari on the death of his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari.
Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.
In the letter of condolence addressed to the Nigerian leader, Biya, who also commiserated with the Kyari family, told the President: ”I can feel your pains, following the death of your close collaborator.”
Similarly, the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun prayed to God to fill the void the absence of the deceased has created.
While commiserating with the Kyari family and the people of Borno, Oyegun noted that the death of the Chief of Staff came as a shock to him because he was receiving the best medical care available.
”However, as a people of faith, we cannot question the will of God,’’ he said in a letter of condolence to the President.
Oyegun, who recounted fond memories with the late Kyari, said: ”when I had the privilege of being National Chairman of APC, my interactions with him were always pleasant and productive experiences.”
The President also received condolence messages from the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in the country through the High Commissioner of Cameroon to Nigeria; Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK, Justice George Oguntade (Rtd) and the United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Fahad Altaffaq.
The Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria; the Association of Motor Dealers in Nigeria; Tiv paramount ruler, Tor Tiv, Orchivirigh Prof. James Ayatse; Alhaji Mustapha Ado Ammasco, the CEO of Ammasco International Limited also condoled with the President.
Others, who sent their condolence messages are the former Senate leader, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba; Urohobo Progressive Union, and former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi.
Cameroon’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Salaheddine Ibrahima, in the letter of condolence on behalf of the Diplomatic Corps, described Kyari as a patriotic Nigerian, who dedicated himself to the implementation of the objectives of this administration with a total sense of loyalty.
‘‘Far beyond the official and formal relations with the Diplomatic Corps, he also entertained very cordial and personal relations with us, which made it very useful for the fruitful relations between Nigeria and our respective countries, ’’ Ibrahima said.
The National Secretary, St Paul’s (Zaria) Old Boys Association (SPOBA) Idris Mohammed Faruk Jnr, eulogized their late old boy as a ”perspicacious technocrat.”
”Kyari was consistently close to his classmates even on their social media platform days before his major health challenge and belonged to the St Paul’s Old Boys Association (SPOBA).
”As Alumni of Kyari’s former college we are proud that he represented us well at every opportunity he had, showing the values of a true Pauline – generous, loyal, friendly, intellectually driven, dedicated to service and committed to the vision of developing Nigeria into a great country,” SPOBA secretariat wrote in a condolence message to the President.
Also, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, Senior Pastor, Trinity House, described the demise of Kyari as saddening, noting how strategic he was to this administration.
‘‘ A true gate-keeper he was in every sense of it, a loyal and committed friend, erudite and professional, his diligence, hard work and resilience will be sorely missed,’’ Ighodalo wrote in his condolence to the President.
NAN
