Second Republic President of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari is dead. He died at the National Hospital, Abuja on Friday at the age of 93.
The Governor of his home state, Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal confirmed the news of the former president’s demise on his twitter handle, @AWTambuwal, tweeting: “I regret to Announce the death of former President Shehu Shagari who just passed away at National Hospital Abuja. May his Soul Rest in Peace.”
Shagari was born February 25, 1925. He served as the first and only President of Nigeria’s Second Republic (1979–1983), after the handover of power by General Olusegun Obasanjo’s military government.
Shagari also served seven times in a ministerial or cabinet post as a federal minister and federal commissioner from 1958–1975.
Shagari entered politics in 1951, when he became the secretary of the Northern People’s Congress in Sokoto, Nigeria, a position he held until 1956.
In 1958, Shagari was appointed as parliamentary secretary (he left the post in 1959) to the Nigerian Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and that year he also served as the Federal Minister for commerce and Industries.
From 1959-1960, Shagari was redeployed to the ministry for economic development, as the Federal Minister for Economic Development.
After the Nigerian civil war, from 1970-1971, Shagari was appointed by the military head of state General Yakubu Gowon as the federal commissioner for economic development, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
From 1971-75 he served as the Federal commissioner (position now called minister) of finance. During his tenure as the commissioner of finance for Nigeria, Shagari was also a governor for the world bank and a member of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) committee of twenty.
In 1978, Shehu Shagari was a founding member of the National People’s Party. In 1979 Shagari was chosen by the party as the presidential candidate for general election that year, which he won becoming the president and head of state of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Shagari ran for a second four-year term in 1983 and won the general election, however, on 31 December 1983, Shagari was overthrown by major general Muhammadu Buhari.
Shagari won the 1979 election with the help of his campaign manager, Umaru Dikko. The campaign had the support of many prominent politicians in the North and among southern minorities. The party’s motto was “One Nation, One Destiny” and was seen as the party best representing Nigeria’s diversity.
During the oil boom, Shagari made Housing, Industries, Transportation and Agriculture as the major goals of his administration. In transportation, he launched some road networks across the country.
He also initiated a program to foster the use of mechanical machinery in farming. It favored large scale farmers in order to produce mass products. Shagari created a low cost housing scheme.
In 1980, with the oil revenue, Shagari finished building the Kaduna refinery, which started operation that year. Also with the oil revenue, Shagari concluded the construction of an additional steel plant and three rolling mills at Ajaokuta, Nigeria.
Buhari mourns
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed great sadness at the news of the passing away of the First Executive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari.
According to a statement issued by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity) in Abuja on Friday, President Buhari said, “On behalf of my family, the government and the people of Nigeria, it is with immense sadness that I received the news of the passing away of the First Executive President of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari which event happened Friday in Abuja.”
He was a leader like no other —Atiku
Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar said on Friday Former President Shehu Aliyu Usman Shagari who died in Abuja was the specimen of a patriotic Nigerian whose life was a pattern of good works.
Atiku, in a statement he personally signed said that Shagari was a completely detribalised Nigerian, whom he said, served Nigeria from his youth to the evening of his life.
He said that the late leader first served as a teacher and moulder of minds and later as a leader and moulder of nation.
The statemenr read: “His election as the first executive President of Nigeria on October 1, 1979 brought relief to the nation and began the process of ending tribal politics, especially as he brought the Southeast into the political mainstream by naming Dr. Alex Ekwueme as his running mate.”
Nigeria has lost a quintessential public servant —Saraki
Senate President Bukola Saraki on Friday mourned the demise of Nigeria’s Second Republic President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, declaring that the late leader was a quintessential politician.
Saraki in a tweet on his verified twitter handle @bukolasaraki, said that the former President dedicated his active years to the service of the nation.
Ekweremadu mourns
Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu has described the demise of the Second Republic President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari as a deep grief and the loss of a democrat.
Ekweremadu, in a statement on Friday by his Media adviser, Uche Anichukwu, said that he was joining Nigerians in the expression of deep grief over the passing on of the Second Republic President.
The statement quoted Ekweremadu as desctibing the death of Shagari as “a heavy loss to the nation”, noting that the late politician was a “sage, democrat, and statesman.”
He was an active political player, says Amosun
The governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, described the death of Shagari as the passing of an age in the history of Nigeria.
He described the former president as an active political player.
Amosun, in a statement on Friday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Rotimi Durojaiye, said Shagari had left a significant stamp in the defence of the country.
His death, a fatal blow —Fayose.
A former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, described Alhaji Shagari’s death as a fatal blow to Nigeria.
Fayose, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Idowu Adelusi, said he received the news with shock but described the former president as a gentleman par excellence and a democrat who contributed immensely to the political and economic development of the country since the First republic.
He was a nation builder with a good heart — Jonathan
Former President Goodluck Jonathan condoled with the family of Alhaji Shagari and the people of Sokoto State over the death of the Second Republic president, describing him as a nation builder who cemented a good relationship between the North and the South.
According to a statement issued by Ikechukwu Eze, the former president’s spokesman, Jonathan, in a tribute, noted that Shagari was a patriot who placed service to humanity and fatherland above personal interest.
Jonathan further described Shagari as a nice man with a clean heart who was sincere and selfless in service.
“He will be remembered as a teacher, parliamentarian and president whose model of service was anchored on diligence, broad-mindedness and humility,” he said.
Nigeria, Africa have lost a statesman —IBB
Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, expressed his condolences to the family of Alhaji Shagari.
He said in a statement personally signed by him that “Nigeria and, indeed, Africa, have lost a statesman and a democrat whose wisdom, counsel, presence and experience and sterling qualities of honesty and transparency are needed in these very trying moments of our national life.”
He described the late former president as a patriot and accomplished Nigerian leader.
The former military president said “he will be remembered for his tolerance and politics of peace without bitterness,” stressing that “President Shehu Shagari was a nationalist who never showed any discrimination due to ethnicity or religion and was a very dependable bridge builder.”
Babangida stated further that in order to keep the of the former Nigrian civilian Executive President’s memory alive , yhat Nigerian politicians and indeed all fellow Nigerians must put to practice all his ideals of peace and party politics without rancour, irrespective of any form of provocation.
Accordingly, the former Nigerian Leader and Elder Statesman , said, “I urge all persons vying for political office to emulate him and keep alive the political principles of the late Turakin Sokoto, Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, the quintessential public servant who was “Beckoned to Serve”.
“I pray for the repose of his soul in Jannatul Firdaus. I pray that the entire nation, his Family, Sokoto State and indeed the Sokoto Caliphate will accept his passing with equanimity”, he stated.
“My deep heart and sympathies go to his Family, the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Sokoto Caliphate and Sokoto State.
“Nigeria and indeed Africa has lost a statesman and democrat whose wisdom, counsel, presence and experience and his sterling qualities of honesty and transparency are needed in these very trying moments of our national life. President Shehu Shagari was a great patriotic leader and an accomplished gentleman, at first a teacher, an administrator, a technocrat and an honest decent unassuming simple Nigerian Leader.
He will be remembered for his tolerance and politics of peace without bitterness. President Shehu Shagari was a nationalist who never showed any discrimination due to ethnicity or religion and was a very dependable bridge builder.
“ To keep his memory alive Nigerian politicians and indeed all fellow Nigerians must put to practice all his ideals of peace and party politics without rancour, irrespective of any form of provocation. I urge all persons vying for political office to emulate him and keep alive the political principles of the late Turakin Sokoto, Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, the quintessential public servant who was “Beckoned to Serve, ”IBB mantained
He then prayed for the repose of the deceased first Executive Nigerian civilian Exdcutive President’ s soul in Jannatul Firdaus.
“I pray that the entire nation, his Family, Sokoto State and indeed the Sokoto Caliphate will accept his passing with equanimity”, IBB, concluded.
Anuchukwu quoted Ekweremadu’s post on his social media handles @iamekweremadu, as saying: “I received with a heavy heart the news of the passing on the Second Republic President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari.”
“He was a democrat by nature, orientation, and conviction. He was a patriot per excellence, a detribalised elder statesman, bridge-builder, servant-leader, and an epitome of humility, who served the nation and humanity most creditably. In and out of office, Alhaji Shagari clothed the Office of the President with decorum and social grace.”
He tweeted: “My family and I join the entire nation to mourn the passing of former President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, who led our nation during the Second Republic.
“President Shagari, was a quintessential public servant; having served in seven cabinet positions and as a legislator.
He dedicated his best years in the service of our nation and is people. May Allah grant him a place among the righteous ones in Aljannah Fridaus.”
Ekweremadu Mourns Shagari
Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu has described the demise of the Second Republic President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari as a deep grief and the loss of a democrat.
Ekweremadu, in a statement on Friday by his Media adviser, Uche Anichukwu, said that he was joining Nigerians in the expression of deep grief over the passing on of the Second Republic President.
The statement quoted Ekweremadu as desctibing the death of Shagari as “a heavy loss to the nation”, noting that the late politician was a “sage, democrat, and statesman.”
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