Prominent dignitaries attended the funeral service of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’abba in his country home in Kano State.
Na’abba was buried at the Dandolo cemetery at Goron Dutse, shortly after the Chief Imam of Kano, Prof Sani Zahraddeen, led the funeral prayer at the palace at exactly 5:38 pm.
Dignitaries included Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas and Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin as well as Kano State Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdussalam.
Others were Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, Senator Kawu Sumaila, among other prominent personalities.
Read also: Man Faces Death for Robbing Vice Principal in Akwa Ibom
Na’abba died in the early hours of Wednesday in Abuja, according to family sources.
His corpse was flown back to Kano for burial around 2 pm and was taken to his residence for prayers and then to the palace of the Emir of Kano.
Ghali Na’Abba’s profile
Ghali Na’Abba was born into the family of Alhaji Umar Na’Abba, a businessman in Tudun Nufawa, Kano City, Kano Municipal Local Government on September 27, 1958.
Na’Abba was a political scientist and a policy architect. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979. His early education was at Jakara Primary School, Kano where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1969.
He later attended Rumfa College, Kano for his West African School Certificate and was also at School of Preliminary Studies, Kano, from 1974 to 1976, before gaining admission into Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in October 1976.
Na’Abba completed a postgraduate programme on Leadership and Good Governance at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University in the United States in 2004. He served as Speaker of the House and led several international bodies in parliament in the wake of the millennium.
He was once a member of the People’s Redemption Party established in the Second Republic by the maverick politician, Mallam Aminu Kano.
Na’Abba joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1998 during its formative period. He emerged as the party’s candidate in April 1999 National Assembly election in Kano Municipal Federal Constituency of Kano State and won the election to represent the Federal constituency in the House of Representatives.
After Ibrahim Buhari’s short-lived time as Speaker, Na’Abba emerged as Speaker of the House.
