Thousands of sympathisers, including the Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari, on Tuesday attended the funeral prayer for the late Dr. Maitama Sule, the Dan Masanin Kano.
Kyari led the Federal Government delegation to the occasion.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the late elder statesman died in the early hours of Monday in Cairo, Egypt during a brief illness.
The Chief Imam of Kano, Prof. Sani Zaharaddeen, conducted the prayer at 6:08pm, with Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and his Deputy, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, and the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, in attendance.
Other important dignitaries included the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Sarki; the Minister of Interior, retired Lieutenant General Abdurrahman Danbazau; and the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
Others were: the Minister of Water Resources, Sulaiman Adamu; the Minister of Defence, retired Brigadier General Mansur Dan’ali; and Accountant-General of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Idris.
Also in attendance were the Governors of Jigawa, Bauchi, Sokoto and Borno States, among others.
Members of the Northern Elders Forum such as Prof. Ango Abdullahi, Galadiman Katsina and District Head of Malumfashi, Justice Mamman Nasir also witnessed the funeral.
Busines moguls, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Alhaji Dahiru Mangal and Alhaji Samaila Funtua, politicians, the business community and prominent Islamic scholars, among others were not left out.
The remains of the late diplomat arrived at the Nigerian Air force Base, Kano in a NAF plane with registration number NAF 913 at exactly 4.08pm.
The late Maitama-Sule, 87, was later buried at Kara Cemetery at Kofar Mazugal in Kano metropolis.
