The Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, has described the death of Prof Shehu Bida, Marafan Nupe, as a monumental loss to Nupe, Niger state and the country, in general.
According to Alhaji Abubakar, the death of the late university don is an irreplaceable loss which has created a wide vacuum, too difficult to fill.
Late Professor Bida, who was the first professor in Nupe land and the first professor of veterinary medicine in Northern Nigeria, died at the age of 86, in his country home, Bida, Niger state, after a brief illness.
The traditional ruler also described the late Marafan Nupe as an academician par excellence and an astute politician.
The Etsu Nupe said that the deceased had created positive precedence of mutual inter-relationship between the rich, the peasants, the old and the young,
The royal father further described the late Marafan Nupe as a humble gentleman who was incontestibly known for fairness and justice.
Abubakar added that the deceased had shown genuine love to the people living in his domain, irrespective of their tribes, as well as rreligious inclinations.
“In spite of these, he was also a Godly father who had the interest of his subjects at heart above any other thing,” Etsu Nupe said
He said that he was deeply touched when he received the sad news of the death of the late Iconic and patriotic core educationist.
The monarch also said that the late Prof Bida was a committed technocrat, a bridge builder and a de-tribalised Nigerian.
“Though God has His reasons for taking him at this point in time, the people of the state had enjoyed his fatherly advice and he will be greatly missed.
“He was also a peace maker and an amiable personality who was at home with his people, whose vacuum would be difficult to fill,” he added.
The Etsu Nupe, therefore, extended his heartfelt condolences to the immediate family of the late Marafan Nupe, while he prayed the Almighty Allah to grant the soul of the deceased Aljannat Firdaus.
