By BASHIR ADEFAKA
Nigeria’s veteran film actor, Usman Baba Pategi, popularly known as Samanja Mazan Fama, is dead.
He was said to have died in the early hours of Sunday, at Garden City Hospital, in Kaduna after prolonged illness.
Pategi, 84, was a retired Nigerian soldier and worked with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Kaduna national station. He survived by two wives and 14 children.
His funeral was held at 10am at Jaafaru Estate Juma’at Mosque, Kabala Costain, Kaduna.
In the meantime, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has commiserated the family, members of Hausa film industry and Kwara State government over the passing of a veteran actor, Usman Baba Pategi, popularly known as Samanja Mazan Fama.
Governor Yusuf recalled that late Pategi’s character in ‘Samanja Mazan Fama’ series represented discipline, resilience and moral standards for socio-cultural and national development.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa on Sunday, Governor Yusuf challenged all the stakeholders in the Hausa film industry to emulate late Samanja’s virtues of national unity, religious and cultural promotions towards fostering peace and tranquility in the Northern Nigeria and beyond.
The Governor prayed Almighty Allah grant the family and friends of Samanja the fortitude to bear the loss.
“We wish to condole with the Pategi Emirate, the good people and government of Kwara State over the demise of the Hausa film icon (Samanja),” said Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
