Posted by From Josephien Lohor in Abuja and Agaju Madugba in Kaduna on
Kaduna State deputy governor, Mr. Stephen Rijo Shekari, is dead. He died yesterday afternoon in Tel Aviv, Israel, where he was flown for treatment about two weeks ago. He was aged 57 years.
*Government declares public holiday
Kaduna State deputy governor, Mr. Stephen Rijo Shekari, is dead. He died yesterday afternoon in Tel Aviv, Israel, where he was flown for treatment about two weeks ago. He was aged 57 years.
Governor Ahmed Moham-med Makarfi's director-general (media & publicity), Mallam Muktar Sirajo, who announced the death in a press statement, said that government has declared today a public holiday throughout as a mark of respect for the deceased.
He said that the state government and family of the late Shekari have begun arrangements to convey his remains back to the country.
'The governor is deeply shocked and pained by this irreparable loss of a very loyal deputy and highly dependale friend, brother and political associate.
"In honour and respect for the departed, President Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor Ahmed Makarfi have jointly decided to put off till some other time, the state visit by the President scheduled to commence tommorrow (today). A new date will be announced in due course," Sirajo said in the statement.
Obasanjo expressed shock at the news of Shekari's demise.
He recalled that Shekari was a valuable participant at the recent meeting of the Presidential Advisory Council on Tourism which was held in Calabar last month.
Obasanjo extended his condolence to Makarfi, the government and people of Kaduna State, and the family of the late deputy governor. He prayed that Almighty God will grant them the fortitude to bear this huge loss.
In his condolence message, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Mallam Nasir el-Rufai said Shekari would be missed by all in the state.
He described the deceased politician as "a good man and loyal partner to Governor Ahmed Makarfi"
"Let me point out that while in other states, governors have been having running battles with their deputies, there was nothing like that in Kaduna until the man died today.
"I believe it is a great loss and everybody in the state would miss him," he said.
Born on January 27, 1948 at Kamuru Kaje, Zangon-kataf local government council of Kaduna state, the late Shekari who had earlier this year announced his intention to contest the governorship race in 2007, attended the Ahmadu Bello University [ABU], Zaria, from where he graduated in 1971 with a bachelor's degree in engineering. He later proceeded to Liverpool University in the United Kingdom where he obtained a master's degree in Engineering, in 1975.
Shekari had joined the staff of Kaduna Polytechnic in 1975 from where he resigned as a senior lecturer in 1977 and he was at a time member of the board of directors of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria [FRCN] Lagos zone. He was also chairman of Federal Government's NEPA probe panel in 1994.
Shekari who left behind a wife, Mrs. Charity Stephen Shekari, was blessed with children.
NAN reports that hundreds of sympathisers had started trooping to the deceased's private house in Kaduna to commiserate with his family.