President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday wrote a personal letter to the family of his late ally, Isma’ila Isa Funtua.
In the letter made available to Okay.ng by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, Buhari described the death of Funtua “as major national loss.”
Buhari in the letter written in Hausa told Funtua’s widow, Hajiya Hauwa, the children and the entire family members that this loss was not theirs alone, but that of the entire country.
“Malam Isma’ila was of great assistance to me and my administration. He helped in many ways to strengthen the government and the country before his ultimate demise,” Buhari said.
The President also recalled that “in his active politics, Malam Isma’ila served as a Minister,” adding that “he was also a businessman and contractor who built several government buildings in Abuja.”
“He was a director of Funtua Textile Mills for 30 years and chaired the Zamfara Textile Company,” while on his roles in the media, “Malam Isma’ila was a life Executive member of the Board of the International Press Institute, IPI,” Buhari said.
According to the President, “Nigerians of all shades and backgrounds have nothing but kind words for him,” noting that “late Isma’ila was reputed throughout his life for his kindness, generosity and support for public causes, big and the not so big.” He then urged all those Malam Isma’ila left behind not to allow division in their ranks.
President Buhari also prayed to Allah to forgive the departed and grant him Aljannatul-Firdaus (paradise).
