Second Republic Senate Leader, Dr. Olusola Saraki, battled cancer for five years before he died on Wednesday.
Saraki’s youngest son, Olaolu, who said this in his Cameron, Ikoyi, Lagos State home where he died at about 6am, however, said the late Waziri of Ilorin was comfortable in his last days on earth.
Olaolu said his father died peacefully in the presence of his wife, brother and two sisters after observing his early morning prayer.
Olaolu said: “My father was very comfortable at his last moments.
“He was actually fine this morning but he had been battling with cancer for about five years.
“He was ill for a while but he recovered.
“He died around 6am after he had said his prayers.
“He was with my mother, brother and two sisters at the time he died.”
Saraki, who was buried in Ilorin, Kwara State at about 6:30pm on Wednesday, was described by prominent Nigerians as a great Nigerian whose life was exemplary.
His eldest son and former Governor of Kwara State, who is now the senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, said: “We are sad but we take solace in knowing that our father lived an exemplary life of service and selfless devotion to the development of his people and nation.
“We give praise to God, who gave and has taken.
“My father lived a great life.
“He touched many lives.
“We are all proud of the life he lived because he fulfilled many dreams.
“Baba will be sorely missed.
“We pray for the repose of his soul.”
Among those who attended the burial were the Speaker, House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal; the Minister, National Planning, Alhaji Shamsudeen Usman, who led the Federal Government’s delegation; the Minister of Internal Affairs, Abba Moro; the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Alhaji Lamido Sanusi; former Sports Minister, Chief Jim Nwobodo; ex-Minister of Defence, Alhaji Haliru Bello; and ex-Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Danjuma Goje.
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