By Sule Aliyu, Bauchi
Thousands of people including top government functionaries across the country on Sunday afternoon attended the funeral prayer of late Emir of Katagum, Alhaji Muhammad Kabir Umar who passed away at Azare, headquarters of Katagum Local Government Area Saturday at down.
The funeral prayer was attended by a Federal government delegation led by the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari,
Prominent personalities among them the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Mahmoud Yayale Ahmed who is also the Ajiyan Katagum, Education who is also the son of the soil in Azare and FCT, Customs Chief Hamid Ali, other top government officials through Dutse Airport and accompanied by Jigawa Governor, Badaru Abubakar .
Bauchi state government’s delegation to Azare was led by Governor Mohammed Abubakar, accompanied by his Borno state counterpart, Kashim Shettima, as well as Bauchi SSG, HOS, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, among top government functionaries at the funeral prayer.
Traditional rulers, among whom, the Emir of Kano, Sunusi Muhammad Sunusi 11 led the funeral prayer. Emir Sunusi was the earliest caller to Azare who arrived by 8:00am, followed by emirs of Bauchi, Misau, Jama’are, Dass, Gombe, Fika, Dutse, Hadejia, Kazaure, Ringim, as well as two other emirs from Niger Republic were among the emirs at the funeral.
Governor Mohammed Abubakar has said that the death of the emir created a vacuum difficult to fill, giving his exemplary life-style and conduct, saying the emir’s demise came at a time his wise counsels and contributions to the development of the state and the country were most needed.
He said that he was personally shocked by the news of the emir\’s demise and had to stop all other engagements to attend the funeral as he was away when he received the news.
The governor described the death of the emir as a loss not only to Katagum emirate and the state, but to the entire nation, and prayed for the repose of the soul of the deceased, and the family for the fortitude to bear the loss.
Also speaking, former Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Mahmoud Yayale Ahmed said that the emir\’s death is a great loss to the emirate.
The eleventh emir of Katagum, late Muhammad Kabir Umar was born at Azare in 1928. He had Islamic and primary education before enrolling into Bauchi Middle School 1948 – 49, College of Administration, ABU Zaria 1950 -51 and attended other courses both within and outside the country.
Late Emir Kabir Umar was a junior minister under the Northern Regional Government, Kaduna between 1957 and 1960. A Minister of Internal Affairs in the regional government 1960 – 1966, and representative in the Northern House of Assembly, 1952 – 1966.
Between, 1976 – 78, after the creation of Bauchi state, late Kabir Umar was the Chairman of the State Housing Authority and chairman of the State Utility Board. He was the chairman, governing council of AD. Rufa’I College of Legal and Islamic Studies, Misau between 1986 – 2001
Late Muhammad Kabir Umar was the district head of Sakwa in 1952 and the district head of Katagum in 1955. He was appointed the Emir of Katagum in 1980. The deceased was survived by four wives, 49 children and many grandchildren.
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