By Olusegun Lawrence Maryamu, wife of National Conference Chairman and former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Idris Legbo Kutigi, is dead.
Aged 70, she died at the National Hospital in Abuja at about 2 am on Wednesday. She has been buried at the Gudu Muslim Cemetery, Abuja, in line with Islamic rites.
Presiding over a brief session of the Confab, Deputy Chairman and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, said it was only proper that the Conference be adjourned to enable delegates participate in the burial.
However, delegates expressed shock at the death and were more stunned that the Chairman could still carry on with proceedings at plenary while his wife was in critical condition in the hospital.
Prof Akinyemi, described the late Maryamu as a pillar of strength to the Conference Chairman and regretted that she had passed on at a time the retired Justice was handling a critical national assignment and needed her closeness and wise counsel.
He said the fact that the chairman carried on with the national assignment despite the wife’s sickness demonstrated his deep sense of patriotism and commitment to nation building.
The plenary was therefore adjourned till Monday, June 2.
Dignitaries present at the prayer held for late Mayamu at the National Mosque, Abuja were Vice President Namadi Sambo, three former Chief Justices of the Federation – Mohammed Uwais, Alfa Belgore and Daihu Mudsdapher; former President Court of Appeal, Justice Mamman Nasir; and former Speaker of the House of Representative, Ghali Umar N’abba.
Also present were former governors of Old Borno State, Mohammed Goni; Kebbi, Mohammed Adamu Aliero; Niger, Brigadier General Lawan Gwadabe (rtd); Akwa Ibom, Obong Victor Attah and Bayelsa State, Diepriye Alamieyeseigha. Former Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Coomasie; former Secretary to Government of the Federation, Olu Falae and former Security Boss, Albert Horsfall.
