Elder statesman buried amidst tears
The funeral prayer for the late Danmasanin Kano, Yusuf Maitama Sule, was attended by thousands of mourners, including top government functionaries, business moguls, traditional rulers, religious leaders.
The prayer was led by the Chief Imam of Kano, Prof. Sani Zaharaddeen, at the Kofar Kudu of the Kano Emir’s palace, with the emir, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, in attendance.
The remains of the late elder statesman were buried yesterday at the Dan Dolo cemetery in the Kano metropolis amidst tears by family members, relations and associates.
The corpse of the late diplomat arrived Kano from Abuja at exactly 4:05pm in an Air force plane NAF 913 which landed at the Air force base in Kano.
The corpse was received by Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki and the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Abba Kyari, who led a federal government delegation that included Interior Minister Abdulrahman Danbazau, Defence Minister Mansur Dan Ali, Solid Minerals Development Minister Kayode Fayemi, Water Resources Minister Sulaiman Adamu, Aviation Minister Hadi Sirika and Accountant-General of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Idris.
Others are governors Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (Kano), Muhammad Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Muhammad Abubakar (Bauchi), among others.
Others were Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Alhaji Samaila Isa Funtua, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Alhaji Dahiru Mangal, Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya, Senator Barau I. Jibril.
Northern elders, including Galadiman Katsina and District Head of Malumfashi, Justice Mamman Nasir, and Prof. Ango Abdullahi, also participated in the funeral.
Earlier at the late Danmasani’s residence on Dawaki Road in the metropolis, family members and other mourners, especially women, broke into tears when the corpse of the late diplomat arrived around 4:30pm.
Security operatives had a tough time paving way for the ambulance conveying the corpse to gain access into the residence.
Former Vice Chancellor of Bayero University Kano, Professor Dan Datti Abdulkadir, who had been receiving condolence at the residence, described late Danmasani as true patriot and politician with difference.
Dan Datti said, “Late Danmasani was my teacher, mentor and guardian. He taught me in the school and he taught me at home. I became so close to him after the demise of late Malam Aminu Kano. I learnt lot of lessons from him. May Allah grant him Aljannah Firdaus.”
At the emir’s palace, thousands of Muslims converged at Kofar Kudu several hours before the arrival of the remains of the late Danmasanin Kano.