…Our Loss Huge, Say Shettima, Zulum
By Inusa Ndahi, Maiduguri
Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, Borno State governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni, led dignitaries to the funeral of Alhaji Usman Jidda Shuwa, the immediate past Secretary to the Borno State Government, SSG.
The funeral held on Sunday afternoon in Maiduguri.
Shuwa died on Saturday at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, after a brief illness.
The funeral prayer was led by the Chief Imam of Borno, Imam Laisu Ibrahim Ahmed, after which Shuwa was laid to rest at Gwange cemetery.
The Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Umar Ibn Garbai Al-Amin Elkanemi, led traditional rulers to the funeral.
Former governors of Borno and Kebbi states, Maina Ma’aji Lawan and Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jidda and senator-elect, Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan, were also in attendance.
Also in attendance at the funeral were numerous other top government officials, both serving and former.
Speaking to newsmen, Vice President Shettima expressed shock at the death of the former SSG, describing him as one of the last icons.
He said, “We lost a colossus, he was the last of the titans and an icon with a huge institutional memory of how the system works. We are surely going to miss his wise counsel and intellect. No one is indispensable in life, but he was almost irreplaceable.”
On his part, Governor Zulum described Shuwa’s death as a big loss for Borno, his family and Nigeria at large.
Zulum said, “The death of Shuwa is a great loss to all of us in Borno. For the past couple of years, he has served the state diligently and his wealth of experience will be missed by all of us.”
Alhaji Shuwa died at the age of 65 leaving behind two wives, children and many relatives.
Shuwa served as the SSG from 2015 to 2019, under the then Governor Kashim Shettima; and from 2019 to 2023 under Governor Zulum.
