Elder statesman, Bashir Tofa, dies at 74

• …buried in Kano

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

Renowned politician, Bashir Tofa, has died at the age of 74 after a brief illness in Kano.

Family sources confirmed the death to newsmen yesterday, saying he died in the early hours of Monday at the hospital.

The funeral prayer of the former presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention, NRC in the aborted 1993 third republic, was held at his residence in Kano state.

The prayer session was led by Imam  Shehu Tijjani Yan Mota at exactly 9.20am.

The funeral prayer held at his residence at Gandun Albasa was attended by the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, Kano Central Senator, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, former Minister of Agriculture,  Sabo Nanono, among other dignitaries.

Our reporter observed that after the funeral prayer, let Tofa was buried at Customs cemetery, along  Hajj camp road in the Kano metropolis.

Born on June 20, 1947, the late politician had his primary education at Shahuci Junior Primary, Kano and later City Senior Primary School in Kano.

According to Wikipedia, Mr Tofa attended Provincial College, Kano from 1962 to 1966. After completing his studies at the Provincial school, he worked for the Royal Exchange Insurance company from 1967 to 1968.

From 1970 to 1973, he attended City of London College for advanced studies.

Mr Tofa ventured into politics in 1976 and became a councillor at Dawakin Tofa Local Government Council. In 1977, he was elected a member into the Constituent Assembly.

During the Second Republic, Mr Tofa was at various times the secretary of the Kano branch of NPN and later became the party’s national financial secretary.

During the botched Third Republic, he was part of the Liberal Movement which metamorphosed to Liberal Convention when it was not registered as a political party. He joined the NRC in 1990.

Although winner was not officially declared, Mr Tofa was presumably defeated in the 1993 presidential election by SDP candidate Moshood Abiola.