SOME eminent citizens, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, have joined other Nigerians in mourning the late Governor of Kaduna State, Patrick Yakowa, and former National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Andrew Azazi, describing their deaths as national tragedy.
Others who mourned Yakowa and Azazi were the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Mohammed, and national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Bola Tinubu. The minister said the nation would miss the qualitative and selfless services of the statesmen.
Atiku said he was shocked when the news broke and was devastated when the identities of those involved in the crash were given. He described Yakowa as one of the finest breeds of politicians, and Azazi a gentlemen who served the country with his heart.
He noted that Yakowa, whom he recently shared the stage with at a conference in Kaduna State, was an exempla of how to play politics of openness, adding that he was a politician with a cosmopolitan world view.
"It is to the credit of this man of peace that the fragility of Kaduna was managed for over two years and thus the level of violence kept in check. Even his opponents will acknowledge that he was respected by both Muslims and Christians in the state," Atiku said.
On his part, Tinubu described the helicopter crash as sad and devastating and a signpost that all was not well with the nation. He said: "A calamitous season seems upon us as a country and the helicopter crash that killed Yakowa and Azazi is both sad and devastating for us as a people.
"My first reaction was disbelief and as the crash was confirmed, my doubts about the tragedy was replaced with overwhelming sadness and prayers for the souls of the departed and for our country, Nigeria."
He described Yakowa as "a forthright politician, a reliable individual and a fighter for peace and development" and Azazi as "a fine officer and gentleman who, in the twilight of his career as NSA, was courageous enough to speak the truth to power.
"He told the ruling party to look in the mirror. He spoke the bitter truth about the precarious security situation of Nigeria. Shortly after, he was removed, yet he remained dedicated to working for the Nigerian project."
