Maitama Sule immortalized in new biography
The Late Danmasanin Kano, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, foremost politician, orator and Nigeria’s representative to the United Nations has been immortalized in a new biography, The Genius Orator, written by Chike Okolocha. At the book launch Thursday at Abuja’s International Conference Centre, the late Maitama Sule was eulogized by prominent Nigerians, including Vice President Yemi […]
The Late Danmasanin Kano, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule, foremost politician, orator and Nigeria’s representative to the United Nations has been immortalized in a new biography, The Genius Orator, written by Chike Okolocha.
At the book launch Thursday at Abuja’s International Conference Centre, the late Maitama Sule was eulogized by prominent Nigerians, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former vice presidents Atiku Abubakar and Alex Ekweume as well as Chief Edwin Clark among others.
In his address, Vice President Osinbajo said, “Maitama’s gifts is not his oratory but in the character behind that gift,” saying that many people have used their oratorical skills to cause division and hate, whereas the late politician, who he described as a great person, used his skills to promote love and national unity.
He also praised Maitama’s self-sacrifice for the collective good, saying, “Any man who can walk away from the presidential nomination of a major political party when he had a very good chance of winning is a truly exceptional person,” Osinbajo said.
He concluded by saying that, “Nigeria is richer for his having lived and served among us and the poorer for his loss.”
Speaking earlier, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who was the chairman of the occasion, said the event was emotional for him because Maitama was not alive to witness it.
“I am feeling sad and lonely that Maitama is not around to witness the celebration of his generosity to Nigerians,” he said.
He went on to describe the Danmasani as a compendium of positive attributes saying, “Though an establishment person, he was devoted to the ordinary people.”
He recalled the emergence of Maitama as a political stalwart in the 1950s when his political career took off, through to his participation in the first and second republic as an example for all politicians and leaders.
In his review of the book, Senator Robert Borifice, a professor, described Maitama Sule as a “resilient brigdge builder Nigerians should emulate,” saying that the importance of documenting the life of an icon like Maitama cannot be over-emphasized.
Others who showered praises on the late Maitama included former vice president Alex Ekweume, Chief Edwin Clark, Former Edo State governor Adams Oshiomole, Prof. Ango Abdullahi among others.