Date: 2017-01-27

Former Minister of State for Education, Alhaji Saka Saadu, breathed his last in the early hours of Monday and was buried in his Ilorin country home amidst eulogies. AHMED 'LATEEF was at the interment attended by eminent Nigerians.

It was early Monday Morning with turbulent wind blowing in quick succession in the ancient area of Okekere, Ilorin. As the wind continued in torrents, nobody seemed to decipher it, but apparently laced with riddles.

In Ilorin, Okekere is revered on its own being an adjoining street of Omoda, an epic centre of knowledge in the ancient town. The area is known with renowned Islamic Scholars, who made unequaled achievements in teaching and propagation of Islamic doctrines.

However, within the space of time that the wind blew, although not violently but unusual, nobody took cognizance of it within the precincts of Omoda except for the people of Asileke Compound, who immediately became suspicious that the wind was ominous.

As the day dawned on Monday, an unusual news filtered in. It was a tragedy of some sort. No one had anticipated it but like all mortals, it is generally accepted that the word of God shall not go unfulfilled.

The unusual news was the demise of a former Minister of State for Education, Alhaji Saka Saadu, who breathed his last at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.

Aged 79, Saadu, a former Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Kwara State Government, was briefly hospitalized at the medical facility for what a family member called "natural health challenge".

However, around 4:10pm on Monday, family members, friends, associates, admirers and sympathizers thronged the premises of Ansarul-Islam Primary School, Okekere, Ilorin, venue of the 'janazat' for the deceased led by the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheik Muhammad Bashir Solihu.

As his lifeless body shrouded in white clothing material was being evacuated from the scene of the prayer, everybody tried to catch a glimpse of the man admirably referred to as humility personified.

His remains were interred around 5:30pm at his residence on Agba-Dam Road, GRA, Ilorin amidst eulogies by eminent Nigerians who converged to pay last tributes and farewell.

Saadu, who also acted as acting Chairman, Governing Council of the University of Ilorin, served in various capacities including religious groups.

Among early callers at the residence of the foremost administrator were the Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Dr Ali Ahmad, who also participated in the janazat; Vice-chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor AbdulGaniyu Ambali; the President, National Union of Road Transport Workers, Alhaji Najeem Usman Yasin; former Chairman, Federal Character Commission, Professor Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem; Chairman, Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Ishola Balogun Fulani; prominent Ilorin indigenes and renowned Islamic Scholars.

The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, who regretted the death of the former Minister, said he lived an exemplary life.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Shuaib Abdulkadir, the Speaker ?described his demise as a great loss not only to Ilorin Emirate, Kwara but Nigeria as a whole, just as he added that late Sa'adu would be sorely missed.

He described the late educationist as a great reformer who contributed immensely to Nigeria's educational development, adding that his vast knowledge and experience was always helpful to successive administrations, especially in the education sector.

The speaker maintained that late Saadu's positive contribution to Kwara State as a former permanent secretary ?and secretary to the state government could not be quantified while his legacy in the system has continued to be improved upon.

According to him, We will surely miss him. He lived a good life and we thank God Almighty Allah for the life he lived. It is our hope that the Ilorin Emirate as a community, the people and the family that he left behind will continue with the good work he exemplified.

?The speaker however prayed Allah in His infinite mercy to forgive the deceased of his sins and shortcomings and grant him Al-janah firdaus.

While praying God to grant the family the fortitude ?to bear the irreparable loss, he enjoined them to sustain the legacy left behind by the former minister as a way of immortalising him.

The late former Minister of State for Education, Alhaji Saka Saadu, has been described as a bridge builder whose death would leave an irreplaceable vacuum.

In his condolence, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Kawu Baraje, stated this in a condolence to the family of the deceased issued by his media office in Ilorin.

Baraje also identified late Alhaji Saadu as "a practicing Moslem, a contented and a lover of peace and his community.

According to him, the deceased contributed immensely to the growth and development of Ilorin , Kwara State and the country in general.

The APC chieftain prayed Almighty Allah to comfort the family he left behind and mourned with the people of Ilorin, the Emir, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, the State governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed and the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki on his death.

Baraje also prayed God to forgive the late Minister of State of his shortcomings and grant him a special place in Al-jannah.

One of the late former Minister's sons, Mr Abdulkadir Bolaji Saadu, described the deceased as a man of quality virtues, who exhibited same during his life time.

He said the late ex Minister will be sorely missed by not in Ilorin but the entire humanity due to his insatiable quest for knowledge.

"He was a very great father, very kind to the family. He joined the defunct Northern Nigeria Civil Service before the creation of the state. The creation of states brought him back to Kwara from the old Northern Nigeria. He was an educationist and a scientist. He loved so much of Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics in that order. He was principal in the early 70s.

"He was commissioner in the old Kwara State. In July 1975, he was appointed as a commissioner for Lands and Environment by the late Col. Ibrahim Taiwo. When Taiwo died in 1976, he was still in cabinet with late Military Administrator Agbazika Inih till 1978.

"My father was a very honest man. That is one thing you cannot take away from him. Even some people do not like him for one reason or the other because he was to honest with them. One thing he would be remembered for in Kwara State is that he initiated Adewole Housing Estate. He told the Governor then that he wants an Estate in Kwara and even took him to where he wants it to be. Adewole was bush then in 1976. I was with him. Even the Ilorin township construction, he was part of it as well as the establishment of the University of Ilorin and Kwara State Township Stadium".

In his comment, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor AbdulGaniyu Ambali, said his demise was a colossal loss to the entire humanity, but noted that the institution was touched by the former Minister's departure owing to his contribution to Unilorin.

"I will describe him as a kind hearted person; a person with godly mind, a good family person, a person who served his community with all his heart and who was well loved by everybody around him. He will be well remembered at the University of Ilorin for the period he served as a council member and subsequently as acting chairman of the council, especially during the trying period of the University of Ilorin. We are all touched with his departure and we pray God to give him eternal peace.

Also speaking, the National President of Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union, Alhaji Abdulhamid Adi, described the late Saka Saadu as a utility man in all ramifications.

"He was so kind hearted. During his lifetime, he served virtually in all strata of government. He was Permanent Secretary, Commissioner, Secretary to the State Government, former Minister and when he retired from active service, people were calling him to head various committees. He was heading one of the committees on Monument and Museum, which was set up by the Emir of Ilorin. He was our chairman. I happened to be a member of that committee. He was the chairman, Quranic Recitation Competition Committee that is coming up February this year. He was very useful. He was more or less a utility man to the community. We will surely going to miss him", Adi said.

In the same vein, a former Chairman of Federal Character Commission, Professor Shuaib Oba Abdulraheem, said the late ex-Minister was a community leader and great patriot.

"Alhaji Saka Saadu lived an exemplary life. The life of a true muslim, the life of a true family man, the life of a community leader and the life of a patriot, indeed. We will miss him very greatly. Because he has risen community service to a new level entirely, and we believe that Allah will reward him with what he has been able to do and will grant him Al-Janat firdaus".

The state APC Chairman, Hon Ishola Balogun Fulani, said the death of Saadu was a monumental loss to the state, saying his contribution to education cannot be over-emphasized.

"I will say that his death is a monumental loss to the whole of Kwara State especially Ilorin, because Saka Saadu was an educationist, he contributed immensely to the development of education in Kwara State and Ilorin in particular", he said.