On Thursday, the body of Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji, the former Minister of Finance for Nigeria, was interred at the Hubbare royal cemetery in Sokoto. The late statesman, who served as the Sardaunan Sokoto, received a traditional Islamic burial. The funeral prayers were officiated by Sheikh Bello-Akwara, the Chief Imam of the Sultan Bello Juma’at Mosque.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima attended the service on behalf of President Bola Tinubu. Other high-ranking officials in attendance included the Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Maigari Dingyadi, and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu. Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State was represented by his deputy, Alhaji Idris Gobir. The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Tukur Bala Bodinga, also paid their respects.
Following the burial, the Vice-President visited with the Sultan and the bereaved family to extend his condolences and pray for the soul of the departed. Alhaji passed away on Thursday at Nizamiye Hospital in Abuja, concluding a decades-long career. He held various prestigious roles, including Minister of Finance from 1985 to 1986, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. A distinguished civil servant and technocrat, he was instrumental in shaping national economic policy and managing global financial relations during a difficult economic period in the country’s history.
