The remains of AbdulGaniyu AbdulRazaq, father of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, were on Saturday interred at his Idi-Igba family house in Ilorin, Kwara State in accordance with Islamic traditions.
Alhaji AbdulRazaq died earlier in the day in Abuja less than four months to his 93rd birthday.
The funeral was attended by a delegation of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF) led by its chairman and Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Bagudu who was accompanied by the All Progressives Congress (APC) caretaker committee chairman and Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni and his Niger State counterpart Abubakar Sani Bello.
A delegation of the House of Representatives led by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila witnessed the arrival at the Ilorin International Airport of the remains of the statesman.
Gbajabiamila was accompanied by Kashim Ibrahim Imam, James Faleke and Babajimi Benson.
The janaazah (prayer) was led by the Chief Imam of Ilorin Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Solihu and attended by the Imam Imale Sheikh Abdullah AbdulHameed and other prominent traditional title holders and religious leaders from the Ilorin Emirate.
The burial occurred as more tributes poured in for the first lawyer from the Northern Nigeria and one-time chairman of the Body of Benchers.
President Muhammadu Buhari, former military leader Ibrahim Babangida and several governors, serving and former, from across the country have commiserated with Governor AbdulRazaq and the family of the statesman.
The governor, meanwhile, has led a delegation of family members and government officials to the Emir of Ilorin Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari to condole with the royal father on the death of the statesman who was until his death the Mutawalli of Ilorin Emirate.
The emir, for his part, extolled the virtues of the elder statesman, whom he described as a national icon, saying he led an exemplary life and praying the Almighty Allah to keep his family on the path of goodness and grant him al-Jannah Firdaus.
The emir commiserated with the family and the Ilorin Emirate as a whole.
He prayed Allah to continue to guide and comfort the Governor, his siblings, and the matriarch of the family Alhaja Raliat AbdulRazaq.
