The All Progressives Congress candidate for the governorship of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has described the death of Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, the First Executive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as a great loss to the entire country.
According to Sanwo-Olu, Shagari, who died at age 93 on Friday at the National Hospital, Abuja, after a brief illness, was one of the few living heroes of Nigeria’s democracy whose counsel and guidance had helped to sustain the unity and benefits of the diversity of the country.
“On behalf of my family and my political clan, I commiserate with the Shagari family and all Nigerians on such a great loss of one of the founding fathers of Nigeria, a democrat and nationalist of high repute. We, therefore, at this moment of grief, pray to God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss,” he said.
“President Shagari was a quintessential advocate of justice and peace who believed in the unity and progress of our dear country. It is really unfortunate to lose a nationalist like him at this period when the country needs the wise counsel of a patriot like him.”
Sanwo-Olu added that the new generation of politicians must rise up to the challenge of preserving the legacies of President Shagari and commit themselves to the higher ideals of public service which the former Nigerian leader exemplified as a teacher, parliamentarian, cabinet Minister and as the first elected President of Nigeria.
“It’s our duty to make Nigeria stronger, greater and better by making public service about welfare of the people. This is certainly one of the remarkable ways to immortalize President Shagari and other great founding fathers of this country.”