Tag: era

Former Anambra State governor, Senator Chris Ngige, has expressed shock on the death of the former Senate Leader, Dr. Olusola Saraki.

He described his death as the end of a glorious era in Kwara and northern Nigerian politics.

Speaking with reporters in Awka, Senator Ngige said he met the late Saraki when he was a member of the Medical Students Association of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

He said: “Dr. Saraki encouraged us to study hard and prepare for the future. He told us that the future belonged to youths. At that time, one could see the warmth and genuine passion he had for the downtrodden and oppressed people, which he transformed into charity and philanthropy.”

Senator Ngige described Saraki as an astute politician and a strategist.

He added: “As a politician, Saraki was an astute strategist and an achiever. For five decades, he was the big masquerade in Kwara politics, producing a dynasty of political gladiators who continue to hold sway in the state and Nigeria. He passed on at a time the people of Kwara and Nigeria need his advice and wealth of experience. I pray for the repose of his soul.”

Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has described the death of the Second Republic Senate Leader, Dr. Olusola Saraki, as “the end of an era of one of Nigeria’s political legends.”

Fayemi in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, said Saraki bestrode the political terrain of Kwara State and the North Central like a colossus during his life.

He lamented that Saraki’s death came at a time when the polity was yet to recover from the shock of the demise of former Oyo State Governor, Alhaji Lam Adesina, who died on Sunday.

The Governor noted that Saraki touched the lives of many people in his life through his philanthropy and generosity from which indigent people benefited.

According to him, Saraki provided leadership and direction to his political disciples in critical times, adding that his counsel would be sorely missed.

Fayemi said Saraki never believed in violence in his political activities and used persuasion in spreading his political ideology.

He said although Saraki was a Muslim, he touched the lives of Christians, Muslims and adherents of traditional religion without discriminating against anybody.

Fayemi said: “Despite being a Muslim, Dr. Saraki had a Christian wife and never stopped her from practising her religion because he believed that religion should be an instrument of unity rather than division.

“It is also on record that Dr. Saraki sponsored Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem and Muslim pilgrims to Mecca annually throughout his life.

“This great man contributed to the development of his community and country as a medical doctor, businessman, politician, philanthropist and an elder statesman. Our condolences go to the immediate family, the government and the people of Kwara State. We pray that God should grant them the fortitude to bear this huge loss.”