Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa
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By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Omeiza Ajayi, Luminous Jannamike, Bashir Bello, Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo & Olayinka Ajayi
KANO—The former Presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention, NRC, on June 12, 1993, Presidential election, Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa, is dead.
Vanguard gathered that the elder statesman died in the early hours of yesterday after a protracted illness.
Family sources said he died at 74 years on his sickbed at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, AKTH.
Tofa contested the Presidential election against the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Presidential candidate, late Chief Mashood Kashimawo Abiola, who won the election but was annulled by the former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rted).
The deceased was survived by a wife and six children.
At his burial later yesterday, hundreds of sympathizers including the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, Senator representing Kano Central, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau and former Minister of Agriculture, Saleh Nanono among other prominent personalities, paid their last respects to the late politician when his remains were laid to rest in Kano State.
The Imam of the deceased’s residential mosque, Malam Habib Shehu led the funeral prayer performed on the remains of the astute politician before he was buried at the Hajj camp cemetery along Airport road in Kano.
Buhari
Reacting to his death, President Muhammadu Buhari, expressed grief over his demise, saying Tofa was noted for his untiring commitment to public enlightenment and was unafraid to speak the truth all the time that he lived.
President Buhari in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said “he set up the Bureau for Islamic Propagation, BIP in the mid-80s that helped to unite Muslim Scholars in the Northern States, narrowing the differences that characterized their relationships. The BIP also published books and newspapers.
“He was, till the end, a patriot to the core. He envisaged a better Nigeria for all. We pray that this dream and collective aspiration and necessary commitment will not go with him. We owe it to his memory and to the nation.”
Meanwhile, the President has dispatched a delegation to Kano with a condolence letter to the State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
The team is made up of the Ministers of Defence, Major-General Bashir Magashi (retd) and Water Resources, Engineer Sulaiman Adamu accompanied by the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity), Garba Shehu and the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris.
Ganduje
Also, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State described his death as an outstanding statesman whose contributions to Nigeria’s democracy would remain indelible.
Ganduje in a statement signed by his Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, noted that Tofa started taking up leadership responsibilities at an early age, when he was elected councillor in Tofa in his late 20s, and remained vibrant and dynamic up till the time of his death.
Among others, the governor said “The legacy of his political beliefs and triumphs will be important footnotes in the literature of Nigeria’s government and politics for generations yet to come.
“He was a great man, a quintessential democrat and outstanding statesman who has left very hold prints both on the politics and political history of Nigeria.
Shekarau
Speaking to newsmen after the funeral prayer, Senator Shekarau said, “the death of Bashir Tofa is indeed a great loss not only to his family and Kano but the nation, particularly in the democratic arena. We have lost a pillar, someone who has contributed throughout his life to the development of democracy.
“He is always standing on the side of truth, social justice and human development.
“We have learnt a lot from him. I had the singular opportunity of having him as the Chairman of the elders committee of the party that I stood for and governing Kano under the platform of ANPP. He has been forthcoming in giving us advice that helped us in governing Kano State peacefully.”
Buni
Governor Mai Buni of Yobe State and National Chairman, All Progressive Party, APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, in a statement by his Director General, Press and Media Affairs, Mamman Mohammed said; “it is with deep sorrow and sadness that l received the news of the passage of late Alhaji Othman Bashir Tofa.
“He was an iconic politician who shared the values of politics as a call to service, to promote good governance and to improve the lives of the electorates. Late Tofa was a fine gentleman, a true democrat and a nationalist with a definition of politics as a tool for service delivery”
Anyim
On his part, a presidential aspirant in the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim described as “deeply sorrowful” Tofa’s demise.
The former Senate President in a condolence message issued by his Media Adviser, Sam Nwaobasi, among others, said “He was so committed to a peaceful Nigeria that throughout the electioneering campaigns leading to the 1993 presidential elections, in which he was the candidate of the National Republican Convention (NRC), Alhaji Tofa never did anything, in words or actions, that could have instigated crisis in any form.
ACF
Similarly, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, in a statement through its National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Yawe, said Tofa was one of those who invested their time, energy and money during the formative stages of the ACF.
According to the statement, among others, “his participation in the 1993 presidential election as the candidate if the NRC overshadowed all other things he did maybe because Moshood Abiola was involved or because it was finally annulled.
Every time that election was mentioned, his name just came up. It was as if he never did anything in life other than participating in that election.”
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Northern Elders
In the same vein, the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, described him as “an indefatigable defender of North’s dignity and values.”
The Forum in a condolence message issued by its Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, said it lost a loyal founding member, a firm believer in responsible and visionary leadership.
The statement reads, “Northern Elders Forum, NEF, and Nigerians are deeply saddened by the death of Alhaji Bashir Othman Tofa. The North has lost an indefatigable defender of its dignity and values. Nigeria has lost an illustrious son, a consummate politician who was denied the opportunity to provide leadership with the annulment of the Presidential elections in 1992.
“The Forum lost a loyal founding member, a firm believer in responsible and visionary leadership. Alhaji Bashir was the embodiment of the best combination of private enterprise and unparalleled philanthropy. His landmarks in Kano and the national economy will match the best.
“History will record that Alhaji Bashir’s life was well spent in the service of God and fellow humans, and he will continue to be an inspiration to many generations of Nigerians.”
The Forum also condoled with the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria, the people of Kano and Nigerian Muslims over the demise of Dr Datti Ahmad. It also prayed that “Allah (SWA) will reward him for his pioneering service to his community with Aljannah Firdausi.”
SDP
Also reacting, acting National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Supo Shonibare, described late Tofa as a gentleman that many knew nothing about until he emerged as the Presidential candidate of the defunct National Republic Convention, NRC, Presidential candidate.
Shonibare said among others, “He has played his own part in the political power play in our Country of that epoch of experimental politics.”
52 Northern groups postpone planned security summit over Tofa’s death
Meanwhile. a coalition of 52 Northern Groups, CNG, has postponed its planned security summit due to the sudden death of Alhaji Bashir Tofa.
CNG’s national coordinator, Balarabe Rufai, announced this decision while briefing journalists in Abuja yesterday.
According to him,” The CNG owes immeasurable gratitude to the late Bashir Tofa whose leadership, sacrifice, statesmanship, patriotism and unwavering commitment to the interests of the people of Northern Nigeria, and citizens of Nigeria as a whole has few parallels. We mourn the passing of this man from whose life and works we have drawn inspiration and we must strive, in all we do, to live with the personal and social values and standards he lived and set for himself.
“The late Tofa was a passionate believer of the organic links between generations who was always available for young people. The CNG in particular, the North and Nigeria generally have certainly lost a great statesman, but the youth lost a mentor, guardian, living history and an embodiment of all the exemplary qualities young Northerners should strive to achieve.
“As a mark of respect and with a grieving heart, we wish to announce the inadvertent postponement of the planned Pan Northern Security Summit scheduled for 5th and 6th of January to a date to be announced soon. The late Bashir Othman Tofa was to be the chairman of the occasion.”
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