The remains of elder statesman, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Folorunsho Abdul-Razaq (SAN), have been interred at his Idi-Igba family house in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, in accordance with Islamic traditions.
The janaazah was attended by a delegation of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) led by its chairman and Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Bagudu who was accompanied by the APC Caretaker Committee Chairman and Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni and his Niger State counterpart Abubakar Sani Bello.
A delegation of the House of Representatives led by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila witnessed the arrival at the Ilorin International Airport of the remains of the statesman.
Gbajabiamila was accompanied by Kashim Ibrahim Imam; James Faleke and Babajimi Benson.
Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly Yakubu Danladi Solihu led a delegation of the state lawmakers which comprised House leader, Olawoyin Magaji.
The janaazah (prayer) was led by the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Solihu, and attended by the Imam Imale Sheikh Abdullah AbdulHameed and other prominent traditional title holders and religious leaders from the Ilorin Emirate.
The burial occurred as more tributes poured in for the first lawyer from the Northern Nigeria and one-time chairman of the Body of Benchers.
President Muhammadu Buhari, former military leader Ibrahim Babangida and several governors, serving and former, from across the country and APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu have commiserated with the governor and the family of the statesman who died in the early hours of Saturday in his Abuja home at 93.
The Governor, meanwhile, led a delegation of family members and government officials to the Emir of Ilorin, Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, to condole with the royal father on the death of the statesman who was until his death the Mutawalli of Ilorin Emirate.
The Emir, for his part, extolled the virtues of the elder statesman, whom he described as a national icon, saying he led an exemplary life and praying the Almighty Allah to keep his family on the path of goodness and grant him al-jannah Firdaus.
The Emir commiserated with the family and the Ilorin Emirate as a whole.
He prayed Allah to continue to guide and comfort the Governor, his siblings, and the matriarch of the family, Alhaja Raliat AbdulRazaq.
In his tribute, President Muhammadu Buhari mourned AbdulRazaq, Northern Nigeria’s first lawyer.
In a tribute to the late First Republic Minister, Parliamentarian, pioneer Commissioner for Finance, Kwara State and until his passing, Matawali of Ilorin and Tafidan Zazzau (Zaria), the President said he was highly saddened by news of the demise of the statesman and outstanding parliamentarian of his time.
According to Buhari, “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, His Highness, Emir Sulu Gambari of Ilorin, and the people of Kwara State.
“We pray for the eternal peace of his soul.”
Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, described the death of Abdul-razaq, Mutawalli of Ilorin, as a loss of one of the statesmen produced by Kwara State.
Saraki, in a statement in Abuja, noted that the late Senior Advocate who died at the age of 93, had lived a good life and contributed his own quota to the development of Kwara State and Nigeria in general.
“The late AGF, as he was fondly called by people who knew him, will be sorely missed and I believe he did his best in the service of our people in Kwara State and Nigeria as a lawyer, politician, diplomat and President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange”, Saraki noted.
Saraki, the Waziri of Ilorin, commiserated with Dr. Allimi Abdul-razaq and his siblings, the entire family of the deceased, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, the entire Ilorin Emirate and the people of Kwara State. He also pray that Almighty Allah forgive the sins of the late Abdul-razaq and grant him a place in Aljannah Firdaus.
All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, described the death as the end of an important era.
In an emotional condolence statement personally signed by him, Tinubu said: “The passing at 93 of the iconic patriot and elder statesman, Alhaji AbdulGaniy Folorunsho Abdulrasaq, popularly known as AGF, signifies the end of another era in the annals of this country.
“The likes of AGF were the proverbial hewers of wood and drawers of water who laboured hard for the strong foundation upon which our dear country was erected.
“He was there in the thick of all the nationalistic struggles and negotiations during the transition from colonial era to an independent Nigeria.
“A nationalist in its true definition and a pan-Nigerian in all its adoring flavours, Papa Abdulrasaq did a lot for this country. He was an educationist who founded the first privately-owned secondary school, Ilorin College, Ilorin, now known as Ilorin Government High School, in the old Ilorin Province.
“He was an active player during the nascent post-independence period of the 1960’s, helping to stitch together the multi-interest and diverse expectations of the peoples of this country.
“AGF gave his very best to our country as a top legal practitioner, indeed the first lawyer to emerge from the Northern part of Nigeria, who also rose to become the Chairman, Council of Body of Benchers.
“He was also many more in his unparalleled service to the country: a technocrat whose era as President, Nigeria Stock Exchange, helped to bolster the competitiveness of our stock exchange sector; a politician who was the first National Legal Adviser of the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC); Minister of State for Railway; a diplomat who was Nigeria’s Ambassador to Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), and a foremost community leader, the Mutawalli of Ilorin Emirate and Tafida of Zaazau (Zaria).
“The departure of the highly revered AGF, the father of the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, has left a huge vacuum in our national life.
“I commiserate with Governor Abdlurasaq, I mourn with his brother, Alhaji Alimi Abdulrasaq, and their other siblings. My condolences also to the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, and the good people of Ilorin and Kwara State over the demise of their most illustrious son.
“I hope and pray that Munificent Allah grant them the strength and fortitude only He can provide in order to live after Papa’s passing. May Almighty Allah also reward Papa of his good deeds, forgive his shortcoming and admit him to Aljanna Firdaus.”
Former Abia State Governor and Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Kalu, also commiserated with the government and people of Kwara state over the demise of the first lawyer from the Northern part of Nigeria, Alhaji Abdulganiyu Abdulrasaq.
Acknowledging the selfless and patriotic qualities of the deceased, Kalu urged the Abdulrasaq family to take solace in the fact that that their late patriarch lived a fulfilled life dedicated to humanity.
According to the former Governor, the late prominent lawyer was a rare gem, whose good deeds will continue to speak for him.
In a condolence message from the office of the Chief Whip of the Senate, Kalu prayed to Allah to grant the deceased Al-Jannah Firdaus and give the Abdulrasaq family the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.
He said, ” Nigeria has lost a patriotic statesman, Alhaji Abdulganiyu Abdulrasaq.
“The late former President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, played key roles in national development in various capacities in the private and public sectors.
“The late prominent lawyer lived a purposeful life and left behind good legacies for his family members to sustain”
Kalu sympathized with the Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, Senator Khairat Gwadabe and other members of the Abdulrasaq family.
