Buhari, ACF mourn Abdulrazaq’s father

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday in Abuja, expressed sadness over the passing of Alhaji Ganiyu AbdulRazaq, Northern Nigeria’s first lawyer and father of the Governor of Kwara.

The president made his feelings known in a tribute to the late First Republic Minister, pioneer Commissioner of Finance, Kwara State and until his passing, Matawali of Ilorin and Tafidan Zazzau, issued by the president’s spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu.

President Buhari said he was highly saddened by the news of the demise of the statesman and outstanding parliamentarian of his time.

He said: ”We will remember him as one of this country’s greatest legal minds and a national leader.

”He garnered respect that transcended our barriers visible and otherwise.

”His enormous contribution to the welfare of the people of his community, Kwara State and the country as a whole will serve to inspire future generations of our citizens.

“Whenever our Nation loses an elder in the class of Alhaji AbdulRazaq, it should serve as a moment of reflection on how the lives they lived and their sacrifices built the foundation of what we must continue to strengthen.

“On behalf of my family, the government and people of our nation, I extend our heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the Governor of Kwara – Alhaji Abdulrahaman AbdulRazaq and his family, Emir Sulu Gambari of Ilorin, and the people of Kwara State.

“We pray for the eternal peace of his soul.”

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Similarly, the Arewa Consultative Forum has mourned the death of one of its founding member, Abdul Ganiyu Folorunso AbdulRazak, the first northerner to become a lawyer.

A statement issued to Tribune Online and signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the Forum, Mr Emmanuel Yawe, noted that the deceased was awarded Distinguished Service Award by the forum for his sterling leadership and exemplary character.

The statement noted that the deceased was a true and proud Northern just as he was a true Nigerian.

According to the statement: “The Arewa Consultative Forum where he served as a founding member and where he received Distinguished Service Award received news of his death this morning with shock.

“He hailed from Ilorin, Kwara State and a true and proud northerner just as he was a true and proud Nigerian.

“Born in Anambra State, South-East, he was educated in Buguma Rivers State, South-South, and Ibadan South-West; he started his legal practice in Kaduna and Zaria North-West and political activism in Maiduguri, North-East from where he became the first and only legal adviser of the Northern Peoples Congress NPC.

“He achieved a string of firsts in his life and career: first northerner to be a lawyer, first National legal adviser of NPC; first Ilorin man to serve as a diplomat; first Ilorin man to be a federal Minister; first Kwara man to be Commissioner of Finance; first Mutawalli of Ilorin and first Tafidan Zaria; he was the first Kwara man to establish a secondary school – the Ilorin College.

“A devoted family man, he left behind his wife Hajiya Railat Abdulrazaq, the current Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and Senator Hairat Abdulrazaq-Gwadabe who represented FCT in the Senate and others.

“The Arewa Consultative Forum condoles with the immediate family and the people and government of Kwara State over this painful loss.”

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE