Bello For Burial Today, Tinubu, Ajibola Pay Tributes
BY IDOWU AJANAKU, LAGOS, SAXONE AKHAINE (KADUNA ) AND CHARLES GYAMFI (ABEOKUTA)
THE body of the late erstwhile Chief Justice of the Federation Justice Mohammed Bello will be flown into the country and buried in Kaduna today according to Islamic rites.
According to the spokesperson of the fmamily and Deputy Secretary-General of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Inuwa Abdul-kadri, the body of the elderstatesman is expected at Kaduna International Airport at 9 a.m. The burial rites will take place at Sultan Bello Mosque at midnight.
Abdulkadri who spoke with The Guardian in a telephone interview said that dignitaries had already travelled abroad to accompny the body of Bello back to Kaduna.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Masari and other legislators were in Kaduna yesterday for the burial.
Prominent Nigerians yesterday poured in tributes for the late former Chief Justice who died on Thursday at the age of 74.
The praises came from Lagos Governor Bola Tinubu and the former judge of the World Court, Mr. Bola Ajibola.
In a statement, Tinubu said the demise of the former chief justice was a monumental loss to the legal profession and Nigeria as a whole.
He noted that the late Bello ranked easily among the most erudite and fair-minded judges this country had produced.
Combining a formidable intellect with impeccable integrity the late jurist, Tinubu said, dispensed justice to all irrespective of faith, tribe, political affiliation or station in life.
Beyond professional calling, the governor said Bello was wonderful being. "His simplicity and modesty at all times were truly admirable. His humility was amazing and he had genuine compassion for this fellow human being," he stated.
Tinubu said Bello's deep faith in Allah and fervent practice of Islam did not make him intolerant of other creeds. "He was thorough in life a role model of the liberal and accommodating spirit who was essential to harmonious co-existence in a complex plural society like ours," he said.
Ajibola who spoke in Abeokuta regretted that the country had lost one of the most respected judges the country could boast of.
He said: "He (Bello) was a highly respected reverred judge. He was simple but firm and straight forward."
He described the deceased as his very close ally having worked together for about six years.
"When I was serving as an Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, he was my great confidant," he said.
He recalled that when a vacancy occurred at the International Court of Justice with the death of Nigeria's Justice George Elias, he (Ajibola) as Minister of Justice recommended to that Federal Government that Bello should be sponsored for the post.
Ajibola later succeeded Elias. He revealed that the deceased gave a hint about his death five months ago.
His words: "I saw him about five months ago in Abuja at a restaurant and unfortunately what he told me was a little bit philosophical. I was talking to him about a project that would last another decade and he said to me casually, who will be here by then as far as I am concerned. I am not sure I will be here."
