By Ade Adedeji, Ilorin.
Tributes continue to pour in on Sunday for late Pa AbdulGaniyu AbdulRazaq, the father of Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq who passed away yesterday and had since been buried in accordancee with Islamic rites.
Late Pa AbdulGaniyu AbdulRazaq
The janaazah (burial rite) was attended by a delegation of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) led by its chairman and Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Bagudu who was accompanied by the APC Caretaker Committee Chairman and Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni and his Niger State counterpart Abubakar Sani Bello.
Also, a delegation of the Federal House of Representatives led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila witnessed the arrival of the the remains of the elder statesman from Abuja at the Ilorin International Airport.
The delegation also was accompanied by Hon. Kashim Ibrahim Imam; Hon. James Faleke; and Hon. Babajimi Benson.
President Muhammadu Buhari, former military leader Ibrahim Babangida and several governors, serving and retired from across the country sent their representatives to commiserate with the Governor and the AbdulRazaq family.
Paying his tributes, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahin Gambari extolled the virtues of the elder statesman, whom he described as a national icon, saying he led an exemplary life and prayed the Almighty Allah to keep his family on the path of goodness and grant him al-jannah Fidaus.
He was reputed to be the first lawyer in Northern Nigeria. A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and one time Chairman of the Nigerian Body of Benchers and a devout community leader in his life time.
The deceased was former Nigeria’s Ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire and reputed as the first Kwara Commissioner of Finance upon the creation of the state in 1967.
The late Mutawali of Ilorin and Tafida of Zazzau in Zaria, Kaduna State, was also the former Chairman of the Nigerian Body of Benchers.
He also worked at the Nigerian Stock Exchange for a number of decades.
He is survived by his 90-year-old wife, Raliat AbdulRazaq, children including Governor AbdulRahman, and grandchildren.
