Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari‘s most trusted ally, Chief of Staff to the President and one of the most powerful politicians in Nigeria, Abba Kyari, passed away at age 80, from complications related to COVID-19 after a nearly month-long battle with the virus.
According to the report, Abba Kyari died hours ago while trying to receive treatment for coronavirus at a private hospital in Lagos. Before the announcement of Abba Kyari dismissed by the presidency hours ago, he was referred to as one of the top three most powerful people in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy.
Abba Kyari has been described as Nigeria’s de facto president, because the presidency holds an inordinate amount of the centralized power and government funds, deciding who has access to the president accords immense power and influence.
Completely out of any word, so devastating. It is indeed very hard on us, but I strongly believe that we all belong to Allah and to Him we shall return. May Allah accept Mallam Abba Kyari’s shahada, forgive all his shortcomings, and grant him Jannatul Firdausi. #RIPAbbaKyari pic.twitter.com/S1im9frLRe
— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) April 18, 2020
In deep shock and sorrow at the passing of Abba Kyari, a best friend and brother. Chief of Staff to President @MBuhari. A true gem and great Nigerian patriot. Irreplaceable. RIP. #StayHomeSaveLives #COVID19 @NigeriaGov @DigiCommsNG @NGRPresident @OfficialAPCNg pic.twitter.com/BXfNRq08ED
— Geoffrey Onyeama (@GeoffreyOnyeama) April 18, 2020
Abba Kyari was born in Borno, graduated from Cambridge and Warwick universities in the United Kingdom in the early 1980s, and in 1983, he was called to the Nigerian Bar after attending the Nigerian Law School. A close member of his class described him as an intellectual by those who dealt with him.
The late Abba Kyari was said to have contracted the coronavirus on an official trip to Germany in March. He was confirmed with the virus on Mar. 23, though it was revealed on Mar. 30. At the time, he was said to be in high spirits and widely expected to recover. But there have now been reports Kyari had underlying conditions.
I have lost a friend of 40 years. We were at Cambridge together. We worked in my fathers law firm together. We remained close throughout right up until the end even though we disagreed politically. Abba was a good man: a man of honor & a loyal friend. May his soul rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/GJ5gJOKOff
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) April 18, 2020
In 1984, Kyari obtained his master’s degree in law from the University of Cambridge, and further attended the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland and also participate in the Program for Management Development at the Harvard Business School, in 1992 and 1994, respectively.
Kyari started work at the law firm Fani-Kayode and Sowemimo for some time, following his return to Nigeria. From 1988 to 1990, he was Editor with the New Africa Holdings Limited Kaduna. In 1990, he served as a Commissioner for Forestry and Animal Resources in Borno State.
From 1990 to 1995, Kyari was the secretary to the board of African International Bank Limited, a subsidiary of Bank of Credit and Commerce International.
Kyari was an executive director in charge of management services at the United Bank for Africa and was later appointed the chief executive officer. In 2002, he was appointed a board director of Unilever Nigeria and later served on the board of Exxon Mobil Nigeria.
There was clearly a well-oiled machine to always tar him. I and others urged him to always clear the air, if only for posterity. He always resisted, stubbornly insisting that better to bothered about the verdict of conscience and of God. May God have mercy on him. Ameen. pic.twitter.com/OPPQDaGs5Q
— Waziri Adio (@Waziriadio) April 18, 2020
The remaining of Mallam Abba Kyari has arrived in Abuja where he will later today, be buried according to Islamic rites. pic.twitter.com/bgKGOTbInr
— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) April 18, 2020