Yemisi Izuora
All Progressives Congress National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has described the death on Saturday of the first lawyer in Northern Nigeria, Alhaji AbdulGaniy Folorunsho Abdulrasaq, as the end of an important era in this country.
The late Abdulrasaq who died at 93 is the father of Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq.
In an emotional condolence statement personally signed by him Asiwaju Tinubu said: “The passing at 93 of the iconic patriot and elder statesman, Alhaji AbdulGaniy Folorunsho Abdulrasaq, popularly known as AGF, signifies the end of another era in the annals of this country.
“The likes of AGF were the proverbial hewers of wood and drawers of water who laboured hard for the strong foundation upon which our dear country was erected.
“He was there in the thick of all the nationalistic struggles and negotiations during the transition from colonial era to an independent Nigeria.
“A nationalist in its true definition and a pan-Nigerian in all its adoring flavours, Papa Abdulrasaq did a lot for this country. He was an educationist who founded the first privately-owned secondary school, Ilorin College, Ilorin, now known as Ilorin Government High School, in the old Ilorin Province.
“He was an active player during the nascent post-independence period of the 1960’s, helping to stitch together the multi-interest and diverse expectations of the peoples of this country.
“AGF gave his very best to our country as a top legal practitioner, indeed the first lawyer to emerge from the Northern part of Nigeria, who also rose to become the Chairman, Council of Body of Benchers.
“He was also many more in his unparalleled service to the country: a technocrat whose era as President, Nigeria Stock Exchange, helped to bolster the competitiveness of our stock exchange sector; a politician who was the first National Legal Adviser of the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC); Minister of State for Railway; a diplomat who was Nigeria’s Ambassador to Cote D’viore (Ivory Coast), and a foremost community leader, the Mutawalli of Ilorin Emirate and Tafida of Zaazau (Zaria).
“The departure of the highly revered AGF, the father of the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, has left a huge vacuum in our national life.
“I commiserate with Governor Abdlurasaq, I mourn with his brother, Alhaji Alimi Abdulrasaq, and their other siblings. My condolences also to the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, and the good people of Ilorin and Kwara State over the demise of their most illustrious son.
“I hope and pray that Munificent Allah grant them the strength and fortitude only He can provide in order to live after Papa’s passing. May Almighty Allah also reward Papa of his good deeds, forgive his shortcoming and admit him to Aljanna Firdaus.”