With the arrival of former Governor Patrick Yakowa’s body in Kaduna yesterday, the grim reality of his death was fully felt.
The city was thrown into mourning as the AirForce aircraft carrying the body — and the late Yakowa’s friend Dauda Tsoho’s — touched down at the Kaduna Airport in a golden casket draped in the green-white-green national colours.
The body was conveyed from the airport through the Nnamdi Azikiwe Western Byepass to the St. Gerard Catholic Hospital, accompanied by the widow and three of theirchildren — all clad in black dresses.
The airport was filled with sympathisers. Many wept profusely as the plane hovered before landing.
The huge crowd defied the security barricades and rushed on to the tarmac as the casket was being brought down from the plane to catch a glimpse of it.
Women fellowship groups and church societies were praying and singing choruses at the airport and when the casket was brought out of the aircraft, they burst into tears.
While handing over Yakowa’s remains to Governor Multhar Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State, the leader of the Bayelsa State government delegation and Deputy GovernorJohn Jonah said the government yesterday held a valedictory executive session in memory of the late governor who he described as a bridge builder. He urged the people to support Yero to enable him carry on with the foundation laid by the late Yakowa.
Yero praised the government and people of Bayelsa State for their prayers. He assured the people that he would continue with the foundation laid by the late Yakowa for the sustenance of peace, unity and progress in the state.
The Arch bishop of Kaduna Diocese of the Catholic Church, Archbishop Mathew Ndagoso, Bishop George Dodo of Zaria Diocese and the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah prayed.
A Valedictory Executive Council meeting will hold today (Wednesday) at the Government House by 10am. The wake-keep will hold at the Government House later in the day by 3pm
The body is expected to leave St. Gerald Catholic Hospital on Thursday for the Fadan Kagoma, for the interment after a funeral mass at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Fadan Kagoma.
The bodies of Yakowa and his friend, Dauda Tsoho, arrived in Kaduna yesterday aboard aNigeria AirForce cargo plane at about 2.45 pm.
They were received by Governor Mukthar Ramalan Yero and the widow, Amina Patrick Yakowa.
The bodies were accompanied by former Governor of Bayelsa State and other top government officials.
Others at the airport to receive the bodies were Senator Danjuma Goje, Senator Bukola Saraki, family members and top government officials.
The bodies were later conveyed in a St. Gerard Hospital ambulance and driven in a motorcade through the Nnamdi Azikiwe Western bypass to Saint Gerald Catholic Hospital where they were deposited in the mortuary.
Senate President David Mark and his wife later joined the others at the hospital from where they proceeded to the Government House to see Yakowa’s family.
Senator Nenadi Esther Usman and the Southern Kaduna People in the United States said yesterday that the death of Yakowa has robbed the state of a bridge-builder and a unifier.
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