Nigerians were in a state of frenzy ,yesterday following the announcement of the demise of the president’s chief of staff Mallam Abba Kyari. mallam kyari reportedly succumbed to the dreaded coronavirus on Friday, April 17, according to top officials in the Nigerian presidency.
Abba Kyari was born on the 17th November 1938 . Kyari was married to the sister-in-law of Ibrahim Tahir, and had four children.
In 1980, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Warwick, and also received a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Cambridge. In 1983, he was called to the Nigerian Bar after attending the Nigerian Law School.
In 1984, he obtained a master’s degree in law from the University of Cambridge He later attended the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland and participated in the Program for Management Development at the Harvard Business School, in 1992 and 1994, respectively.
Proffessionally,
Kyari worked for the law firm Fani-Kayode and Sowemimo for some time after his return to Nigeria. From 1988 to 1990, he was Editor with the New Africa Holdings Limited Kaduna.
In 1990, he served as a Commissioner for Forestry and Animal Resources in Borno State. From 1990 to 1995, Kyari was the secretary to the board of African International Bank Limited.
Kyari was an executive director in charge of management services at the United Bank for Africa, and was later appointed the chief executive officer. In 2002, he was appointed a board director of Unilever Nigeria, and later served on the board of Exxon Mobil Nigeria.
Politically,
Kyari was an influential figure within the Buhari administration.During the administration’s first term, he worked mainly behind the scenes to implement the president’s agenda. Further enhancing his influence within government circles, and being labelled as the de facto head of government.
In 2017, following a leaked memo, Kyari became embroiled in a public argument with the Head of Civil Service, who was later removed from office and arrested. In 2020, in another leaked memo, Babagana Monguno the National Security Adviser accused Kyari of meddling in matters of national security.
Photos from the funeral rites of Abba Kyari in FCT Abuja at the Gudu Cementary .
The body on arrival was made known on twitter by one the official spokesperson of President Muhammadu Buhari.
We just received the body of Abba Kyari the deceased Chief of Staff the President in Abuja. In strict observation of the protocol put in place for the burial of Coronavirus victims by the @NCDCgov and the Federal Ministry of Health, the funeral prayer and burial will be private.
Thereafter, there will be no such ceremonies as condolence visits. Well meaning friends, family members and the general public are encouraged to pray for the repose of Abba Kyari’s soul.
The late Chief Of Staff Abba Kyari who was also a lover of sports as a lawyer he once assisted the Super Falcons to receive their wages took his time to settle disputes in Nigerian sporting circle.
In December 2016, the Super Falcons stormed the entrance of the National Assembly to protest their unpaid wages after successfully bringing home the AWCON title from Cameroon.
The protest was so serious that the girls who reached the scene at about 8am on December 14 had vowed to disrupt the day’s plenary session – it was not until the arrival of Abba Kyari that the situation was brought under control.
He assured the girls that the Nigerian government was aware and that the girls would receive ‘alerts’ in less than two days.
“You girls will be paid in two days’ time,” he assured. Two years later, Kyari again took time-out to receive the Super Falcons at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport upon arrival from Ghana.
In the event of his demise , speculations trailed with many insinuating that the politician and elder states man has since been dead few days after contracting the deadly coronavirus……and therefore blamed the top echelon for concealing it.
however few believe that this is not the case, as it would be a clear violation of the islamic burial rite.
Reacting to his death are –
1. Nigerian politician and Frontline critic of the President Buhari’s government, Olufemi Fani Kayode popularly called FFK,
2. former Governor of Anambra State – His Excellency Peter Obi
3. The Chairman, North-Central Governor’s Forum and Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello
4. Senator Bala A. Mohammed
5. Governor of Kaduna State- Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai
6. Governor of Lagos State – His Excellency Babajide Sanwo-Olu
7. Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, and Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, have also expressed shock to the passage of the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.
Atiku Abubakar tweeted-
“Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. I am saddened by the death of Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari. May Allah SWT comfort his family, forgive his sins and grant him AlJannah Firdaus. Ameen.”
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan prayed that “Allah” strengthens his family and friends during this moment of grief.
Ahmad Lawan said – death is inevitable and it only comes at an appointed time while praying for God to comfort Kyari’s family.
Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mele Kyari, described the departed Chief of Staff as a “truly good man, profoundly faithful and loyal to our country”.
Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said he was “deeply saddened by the news” while expressing condolences to his family.
The late Chief of Staff Abba Kyari is the highest profile person to have died as Nigeria remains in lockdown.