Abba Kyari (1938-2018)

The demise of elder statesman and former military governor of North Central State, Brigadier Abba Kyari, has, without a doubt, created a huge vacuum in Nigeria’s socio-political matrix. Kyari, retired brigadier general, died on Sunday in Abuja after a brief illness. He was 80.

His eldest son, Abubakar Kyari, current senator, confirmed the death of the respected Borno elder, who was buried on Monday at the Apo cemetery in Abuja in accordance with Islamic rites. The funeral prayer was held at the National Mosque in Abuja after Zuhr prayer.

Among those that attended the burial were the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari; Governors of Borno and Kaduna, Kashim Shettima and Nasir el-Rufai, respectively; Senator Danjuma Goje; retired Admiral Murtala Nyako; retired General Abdurahman Danbazau; Colonel Mailmalari and the Minister of Water Resources, Sulaiman Adamu.

Born in 1938, Kyari was the military governor of the now defunct North Central state – now Kaduna and Kastina states, during the regime of General Yakubu Gowon.

The late Brigadier General Abba Kyari attended Borno Middle School and Barewa College, Zaria. In 1959, he enlisted in the Nigerian Army as an Officer Cadet. He attended the 12th Regular Officers’ Training School, Teshie, Accra, Ghana (March 1959 – September 1959) and then the Mons Officer Cadet School, Aldershot, England from October 1959 to March 1960.

He held various appointments in the army, including Platoon Commander and then Transport Offices in the 1 Brigade Transport Company, Second-in-Command and then Commander in the Nigerian Army Artillery, commander of 1 Brigade, Kaduna and Commanding Officer 5th Battalion, Nigerian Army, Kano.

During the outbreak of violence against the Igbo people in Northern and Central Nigeria in 1966, Mr Kyari assisted soldiers from the South escaping from Kaduna. When Yakubu Gowon became the military head of state, he appointed Kyari (then a Colonel) as Governor of North-Central state in July 1967. As governor, he commissioned a master plan for the Kaduna metropolis, but in practice the plan was not followed by his successors.

Towards the end of the Gowon administration, Kyari was remembered as a cautious advocate of return to civilian rule.

Kyari led the Northern delegates to the 1994 National Constitutional Conference, and was appointed Chairman of the National Defence Committee of the conference. After his retirement, he led the northern delegates to the 1994 National Constitutional Conference, and was appointed Chairman of the National Defence Committee of the conference.

He was later appointed to the board of directors of First Bank of Nigeria, Standard Alliance Insurance and Merchant Bank of Commerce. He became Chairman of Gamah Flour Mills and of Alif Engineering and Construction before he finally retired to a quiet, crisis-free life along his Polo road GRA residence in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital. He is survived by nine children, including Senator Abubakar Kyari (Borno North).

Already, President Muhammadu Buhari has extended his condolence to the family of the late military governor and governments of the states he served. In a message to the government and people of Kaduna, Katsina and Borno states on Sunday evening, President Buhari said, “We are extremely saddened by the news of General Abba Kyari’s passing away, an officer and a gentleman for whom we have a lot respect.”

He prayed Allah to accept his soul, and grant fortitude to the family and friends he left behind to bear the loss.

In his condolence message, Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki described the late Kyari – father of Chairman Senate Committee on Defence, Senator Abubakar Kyari – as a wise elder statesman; a fine officer; and a patriotic Nigerian who always put the country first.

He said: “At this time, my thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones of the late Brig.-Gen. Abba Kyari, the erstwhile Military Governor of the defunct North Central State. The late General was not only a wise elder statesman but throughout his lifetime, he was a fine Military Officer and a Patriotic Nigerian who always put Nigeria first.

“The nation will miss him and his wise counsel, especially at this time that we are heading into the general elections. I pray that the Almighty Allah (SWT), grant him a place amongst the righteous ones in Al Jannah Firdaus. Amin.”

The Senate President also prayed for strength and fortitude for the family of the deceased at this hour of loss.

Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna state, in a message of condolence to Kyari’s family, described the late elder statesman as a shining star of his generation. Malam el-Rufai said earlier this year, he had the honour to visit and thank General Kyari for his service to the state.

Blueprint joins these eminent Nigerians to mourn the passage of Kyari. We, however, urge that beyond the eulogies and dirges, there is the need for Nigerians, irrespective of tribal, religious or political inclination, to emulate the patriotic disposition of the late Kyari. As a befitting tribute to Kyari, Nigerians should ensure that the fast forthcoming 2019 general election is devoid of hate speech and generally peaceful.

 

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