President Paul Biya of Cameroon has condoled with President Buhari on the death of his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari.
In a message, Biya, who also commiserated with the Kyari family, told the President: ”I can feel your pains, following the death of your close collaborator.” Biya wrote in a letter of condolence to President Buhari.
Similarly, the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Oyegun prayed God Almighty to fill the void the absence of the deceased has created.
Commiserating with the Kyari family and the people of Borno, Oyegun noted that the death of the Chief of Staff came as a shock to him because he was receiving the best medical care available.
”However as a people of faith, we cannot question the will of God,’’ he said in a letter of condolence to the President.
Recounting fond memories with the late Kyari, Oyegun said: ”when I had the privilege of being National Chairman of APC, my interactions with him were always pleasant and productive experiences.”
The President also received condolence messages from the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in the country through the High Commissioner of Cameroon to Nigeria; Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK, Justice George Oguntade (Rtd); United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Nigeria Dr. Fahad Altaffaq; the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria; the Association of Motor Dealers in Nigeria; Tiv paramount ruler, Tor Tiv, His Royal Majesty, Orchivirigh Prof. James Ortese Ayatse; Alh Mustapha Ado Ammasco, the CEO of Ammasco International Limited; former Senate leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba; Urohobo Progressive Union and former Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi.
Cameroon’s High Commissioner to Nigeria, Salaheddine Abbas Ibrahima, in the letter of condolence on behalf of the Diplomatic Corps, described Kyari as a patriotic Nigerian who dedicated himself to the implementation of the objectives of this administration with a total sense of loyalty.
‘‘Far beyond the official and formal relations with the Diplomatic Corps, he also entertained very cordial and personal relations with us, which made it very useful for the fruitful relations between Nigeria and our respective countries, ’’ High Commissioner Ibrahima wrote.
The National Secretary, St Paul’s (Zaria) Old Boys Association (SPOBA) Idris Mohammed Faruk Jnr, eulogised their late old boy as a ”perspicacious technocrat.”
”Kyari was consistently close to his classmates even on their social media platform days before his major health challenge, and belonged to the St Paul’s Old Boys Association (SPOBA).
”As Alumni of Kyari’s former college we are proud that he represented us well at every opportunity he had, showing the values of a true Pauline – generous, loyal, friendly, intellectually driven, dedicated to service and committed to the vision of developing Nigeria into a great country,” SPOBA secretariat wrote in a condolence message to the President.
Also, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, Senior Pastor, Trinity House, described the demise of Kyari as saddening, noting how strategic he was to this administration.
‘‘ A true gate-keeper he was in every sense of it, a loyal and committed friend, erudite and professional, his diligence, hard work and resilience will be sorely missed,’’ Ighodalo wrote in his condolence to the President.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
