INNA LILLAHI WAINNA ILAYHI RAJIHUUN: Nigeria’s 2nd Republic President, Shehu Shagari is dead!

*Sokoto Governor Tambuwal confirms death, salutes late Leader

*Saraki, Wamakko, The DEFENDER President AIG Idris (Rtd) mourn

Nigeria’s Second Republic President, Alhaji Usman Aliyu Shehu Shagari (GCFR) is dead. Shagari died at the age of 93.

Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, announced the death of the former Nigerian Leader on his twitter handle on Friday evening.

Shagari was said to have passed on at the National Hospital, Abuja.

“I regret to announce the death of former President Shehu Shagari who just passed away at National Hospital Abuja. May his Soul Rest in Peace,” Governor Tambuwal announced.

In the meantime, eminent Nigerians including the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, former Governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aliyu Wamakko and President of The DEFENDER Newspaper, AIG Mu’azu Idris Hadejia (Rtd) have sent their condolences over the death of the late First Executive President of Nigeria.

In his message, Saraki said through his twitter handle, @bukolasaraki, that, “My family and I join the entire nation to mourn the passing of former President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, who led our nation during the Second Republic.”

He described Shagari as a quintessential public servant, having served in seven cabinet positions and as a legislator.

“President Shagari, was a quintessential public servant; having served in seven cabinet positions and as a legislator.

“He dedicated his best years in the service of our nation and its people. May Allah grant him a place among the righteous ones in Aljannah Firdaus.”

Wamakko described the late Shagari as a true leader who loved Nigeria and always preached One Nation, One People for development of the country.

President of The DEFENDER Newspaper, AIG Mu’azu Idris Hadejia (Rtd), in separate condolences emailed to the Sultan of Sokoto and President of Sultanate Council of which Shagari had been a prominent member as Turakin Sokoto, said: “I, in my capacity as President of The DEFENDER, on behalf of the entire members of advisory board and management of the media organisation, hereby send condolences to Your Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, mni, CFR, Sultan of Sokoto and President, Northern Nigerian Council of Traditional Rulers, over the passing of the First Executive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Turakin Sokoto, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, GCFR.

“We also extend our condolences to the entire Shehu Shagari family members, people of the Sokoto Caliphate and the Sultanate Council, while we pray that Allah will accept him as successful servant and repose his soul in Al-Jannah. Amin.

“Please accept our condonces, Your Eminence, as we pray that Allah would grant you the fortitude to bear the loss,”AIG Mu’azu Idris said.

In the letter to Governor Tambuwal, The DEFENDER President prayed for the repose in Al-Jannah of the late former President while he also prayed that Allah would grant Tambuwal, the Shagari family and the entire people of Sokoto State the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Born February 25, 1925, in Shagari village, Sokoto State, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari held the title of Turakin Sakkwato in the Sokoto Caliphate currently under the Sultanate of another versatile globally recognized figure and retired General of Nigerian Army, His Eminence Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar.

Shagari was taught recitals at home and later went to a Qur’anic school at the age of four. He was obliged to attend elementary school at Yabo, a town close by his village.

His quest for higher education took him to Sokoto Middle School and later to Kaduna College and was a notable teacher before he later married twice to Hadiza and Aishatu Shagari.

The Turakin Sakkwato, as Sokoto is linguistically called, held strong social views about development and worked as a teacher for a brief period before entering politics in 1954 upon his election to the Federal House of Representatives.

Shagari was a Minister in the First Republic of Parliamentary Government of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and held several posts and was a member of almost every administration after Nigeria’s Independence between 1960 and 1971.

He won the keenly contested presidential election in 1979 following which he ruled the country after General Olusegun Obasanjo-led Military Regime.

Alhaji Shehu Shagari sought a re-election for second term in the 1983 Presidential elections which was bitterly contested and which termination was initiated by the popular Omoboriowo electoral violence that saw many soldiers and his party’s politicians killed in old Ondo State.

Turaki, as Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar called him, was said to have tried to lay a solid foundation to transform the Nigerian economy, but his efforts were stalled by the global oil price fall in 1981, and was eventually ousted in a military coup of December 31, 1983.

Alhaji Shagari, who was never found wanting or guilty of any corruption allegation by the no-nonsense Military Regime of Muhammadu Buhari at that time, continued to make his contributions as elder statesman to the Nigeria’s democracy and Sokoto Education Development for the 35 years he left power as President.

He will be remembered for his exceptional of a committed religious personality always loving to living his life based on the guidance of Allah and Sunnah of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, peace of Allah be upon him.