By Chesa Chesa
Tears flowed at the Aso Rock Villa on Thursday as the State House Press Corps held a session of tributes for its late member, veteran journalist Kabir Yusuf, who died on Tuesday.
Yusuf, who was the Federal Capital Territory correspondent for The Triumph Newspaper and Radio France Internationale Hausa for many years, was described by his colleagues as “friendly, God fearing, hardworking, fatherly and professional to the core.”
Among dignitaries that signed the condolence register opened in memory of Yusuf, who has since been buried in Kano according to Muslim rites, were Chairman of Dangote Group and African’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Eonomy, Wale Edun, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga and Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of The Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha.
Idris described his death has shocking, noting that he has contributed so much to the media industry.
“You will agree with me that Mallam Kabiru Yusuf’s disposition and professionalism endeared him to so many.
“He was so simple and unassuming, always sitting here on the front row without talking much but each time he had cause to say something, he said it with diligence and in a way that does not hurt anyone”.
The Minister who prayed God to rest his soul, said his death was a constant reminder to all of the temporariness of life. “Now one of us is gone we don’t know who is next and death is surely something that all of taste, but I do hope that we will enjoy and have best relationships for as long as this life ends and we also pray that God will give us His blessings when our own time comes”, he stressed.
He sympathised with the press corps saying, “I know that it is a sad moment for you but don’t lose your focus. We that remain will continue to fight what Kabiru Yusuf fought for, trying to see that we have a great country and we will all be proud of.”
Nkwocha, while paying tribute to Yusuf, fondly referred to as “Kabiru Kano”, described him as hardworking and said his death should unite the press corps.
Chairman of the State House Press Corps, Emmanuel Anule of AFP, went down memory lane, recalling how the late Yusuf helped him when he was first posted to the Presidential Villa.
He regretted that the late Yusuf who had written his memoirs did not live long enough to publish it.
“May God help us to clear our tables because someday it will be our turn to go”, Festus Fifen of Ben Television admonished colleagues.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier extended his condolences to Yusuf’s family, praying for the repose of his soul and offering comfort to his loved ones in this time of grief.
