By Mohammed Baba Busu
Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, the Etsu Nupe and Chairman, of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, has described the death of the late Etsu Dazhi, Doko, Alhaji Muhammadu Santali as a very painful and monumental loss.
Etsu Nupe said the deceased, who was among his confidants, epitomized humility, piety, and uprightness.
Santali, who is the 13th Etsu Dazhi Doko died at the age of 63 in Federal Medical Center, Bida on Monday night, has been buried according to Islamic ritual.
The Royal father stated this shortly after the funeral prayers at his home town Doko in the Lavun Local Government area of the state on Tuesday
Etsu Nupe described the late Santali as a humble gentleman known for fairness, justice and peaceful coexistence.
“The late Etsu Dazhi Doko was Godly and showed love to his people, irrespective of tribal or religious inclinations,” he said.
He described the deceased as a bridge builder, an amiable personality, who was at home with his people and his demise has created a vacuum that will be too difficult to fill.
“He was indeed unique in his leadership style and was deep in his faith in Almighty Allah.
“May his exemplary leadership in promoting peace, unity and progress amongst his people, Kin Nupe be remembered as his legacy towards making Nigeria a better place to live,” the Etsu Nupe averred.
He prayed God to grant his soul eternal peace, and to grant all in kin Nupe, the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
Also speaking after the two raka’at Janaiza prayers, the Chief Imam of Kin Nupe, Sheikh Adamu Liman-Yakatun said it was disheartening to lose such a great mind that devoted all his life in ensuring peaceful coexistence of all and sundry in his area, Nupe kingdom and indeed Nigeria
Liman-Yakatun said, “we should always have the fear of God and do all the right things that will earn us paradise on the day reckoning
“We will all die one day and we should avoid sinful things that will safe our soul from hellfire,”he said.
The Islamic clerics noted that death was an expected end of every mortal and enjoined his family to take solace in the words of God which say for everything under the sun, there is a time; a time to be born, and a time to die.