By Mohammed Baba Busu
The Etsu Nupe and Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, has expressed shock over the death of Dr. Makun Halilu, a former Medical Director with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Halilu, who died in the early hours of Wednesday in Abuja after a brief illness, was the Rani Nupe of the Nupe kingdom.
In a condolence message from his Wadata Palace, Bida in Niger, the Etsu Nupe described Rani Nupe as a patriotic, pious, generous, complete gentleman and a committed king’s man of the emirate.
Alhaji Abubakar said that the demise had created a wide vacuum that would be difficult to fill.
The royal father described the late Rani Nupe as a humble gentleman, who was incontestably known for fairness and justice.
Abubakar said that the deceased had shown genuine love to the people living in his domain, irrespective of their tribe, as well as religious inclinations.
“Dr. Makun Halilu was a Godly man, who had the interest of his people at heart above any other thing,” he said.
Abubakar said that he was deeply touched when he received the sad news of his death.
“Though God has His reasons for taking him at this point, the people of Kin Nupe have enjoyed his fatherly advice and he will be greatly missed,” he said.
The monarch prayed to Almighty Allah to forgive the shortcomings of the deceased and grant his family and friends the fortitude to bear the loss.
In his condolence message, Madaki Nupe, Alhaji Abubakar Dzukogi, who is said to be Dr. Halilu’s closest friend, said it was painful to lose such a great mind that devoted all his life to the service of Allah and humanity.
Dzukogi enjoined his family to take solace in the words of God, which says for everything under the sun, there is a time to be born, and a time to die.
It would be recalled that the remains of Late Makun, who died at the age of 71 in a Hospital in Abuja, will be buried in his country home, Bida later today.
