By Taiye Odewale Abuja
Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, and former Senate President, David Mark, joined other Nigerians yesterday to mourn the demise of Nigeria’s former permanent representative at the United Nations, Alhaji Maitama Sule. Ekweremadu and Mark, in separate statements issued by their spokesmen, expressed grief over the passing on of the late elder statesman who also served as Minister of National Guidance under former President Shehu Shagari’s civilian administration. Ekweremadu, in a statement, paid glowing tribute to the late politician and described his death as a heavy blow, not only to the government and good people of Kano state, but also the entire nation.
He said: “Th is is the exit of a patriot, true statesman, role model, social crusader, diplomat of an uncommon pedigree, and an orator, who served the nation and humanity in many capacities. “Although he was popularly known as Dan Masanin Kano, some of us preferred to call him Dan Masanin Nigeria, for he had a rare national appeal and loomed larger than life itself even in his humility. A man of unimpeachable integrity and agent of national rebirth, Dan Masanin was, true to his title, a man of the people, mouthpiece of the poor, master of words, peacemaker, and diplomat per excellence.”
Ekweremadu, however, regretted that Sule did not live to witness the Nigeria of his dream, which he fervently preached, prayed, and worked for. He said “as a people, therefore, we owe it to his memory to bring to fruition his dream of a truly united Nigeria where everyone is his brother’s keeper, a nation that is the pride of Africa, a bastion of democracy, citadel of peace, and an economic giant.” Mark, in his statement expressed sadness over the demise of Maitama Sule whom he described as “Nigeria’s leading light.” He said: “Th e position of Sule as it concerned the welfare and wellbeing of Nigerians was clear and unambiguous.
He stood fi rm for the peace and unity of Nigeria. He was a noble man. “In Maitama Sule, we have lost an unrepentant patriot, nationalist par excellence, a lover of dignity of labour and a soldier who fought in the defence of the ordinary man. He will occupy a prominent chapter in the history of the Nation as one of the forefront nationalists who laid the foundation for modern day Nigeria.” He said the trajectory of Sule albeit his humble beginning and steady rise to the top will remain By Joseph Egbodo Abuja Chairman, House of Representatives committee on Petroleum Downstream, Hon. Joseph Akinlaja, yesterday said eff orts were in top gear by the committee to probe the scarcity of kerosene in the country. Th e lawmaker, who said aside from the scarcity of the kerosene, cases abound on high price of the product, adding that “this is what the committee would address during the investigative hearing.”
Th e chairman of the committee while speaking on the committee’s preparation for the probe said the committee was worried about the scarcity of kerosene, especially the high price of the product. According to him, the House is worried that the product commonly used by the citizens is on the high side, hence the need for the committee to meet with relevant stakeholders. Th e House, he said, would not relent in its eff ort in ensuring that the yearnings and feelings of the citizenry were addressed.
While decrying the hike in the price of kerosene, he said the committee would leave no stone unturned in its investigation. A bridges damaged by Boko Haram insurgents along Mubi-Michika-Madagali Road yesterday Photo: Yakubu Musa /EO/BJO/NAN a worthy study for students and leaders, especially in the black race and, therefore, asked the federal government and the government of Kano state to immortalise Sule for his immeasurable contributions to the socio-economic and political development of the country. He, therefore, prayed that God in His infi nite mercies should grant the departed elder statesman eternal rest just as he called on the bereaved family, to take solace in the fact that Sule lived an exemplary life worthy of emulation
