Last moments of Shettima Muhammad Kashim – Daily Trust

Architect Shettima Muhammad Kashim, son of the late Sir Kashim Ibrahim, the primary indigenous governor of the defunct Northern Region, has died in a highway accident in Abuja.

Shettima, 67, reportedly died on Friday, October 16, hours after attending a guide launch inspecting President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

His stays had been buried at Gudu Cemetery, Abuja on Saturday in accordance with Islamic rites after funeral prayers held on the National Mosque attended by dozens, together with Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Shettima Mohammed was stated to have died after his automobile ran right into a stationary truck within the Asokoro space of the Federal Capital Territory, sustaining deadly head accidents.

His dying got here hours after he had met mates and associates on the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja for the launch of Tinubu: From Renewed Hope to Despair: A Critical Examination of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Government, edited by Professor Abubakar Siddique Mohammed of the Centre for Democratic Development and Research (CEDDERT), Zaria.

Friends who had been with him on the guide launch described him as a humble, jovial and reliable one who maintained cordial relationships throughout political divides regardless of his household’s distinguished place in Nigeria’s political historical past.

Among those that paid tribute to him had been Dr Garba Abari, former Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), and Professor Usman Yusuf, former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Abari stated he spent a number of hours with the deceased on Friday earlier than leaving for the Juma’at prayer, unaware that their assembly can be their final.

“We were together with him, one other very close friend of his, Professor Usman Yusuf, and yet another friend of ours, Comrade Kalli Gazali,” Abari stated.

He stated they’d been collectively from about 10am till shortly after 1pm on the Yar’Adua Centre, the place they exchanged banter and mentioned issues of their regular pleasant method.

Abari stated he left the group for the Friday prayer at Banex Mosque, whereas Kashim and the others proceeded to Maitama Juma’at Mosque, popularly often known as Yar’Adua Mosque.

According to him, Kashim later took his mates dwelling after the prayers and lunch earlier than driving in direction of his residence in Asokoro, the place the deadly accident occurred.

Abari stated the information of Kashim’s dying was significantly surprising as a result of the deceased was recognized to be a particularly cautious driver.

“One thing that is distinctive about him is that he is an extremely careful, cautious driver,” Abari stated, including that the identical warning characterised the best way Kashim approached his tasks.

Describing him as an individual who by no means flaunted his privileged household background, Abari stated Kashim was properly introduced up, good-natured and pleasant to individuals regardless of their social standing.

“He was a personification of humility, never carrying any airs around him about the kind of family he came from,” he stated.

Abari added that though Kashim got here from a political household and held his personal political opinions, he by no means allowed political variations to break his relationships with others.

The former NOA director-general stated the suddenness of the dying was a reminder of the uncertainty of human life.

“If I recall the moments we had together, I recall the banters, everything. He looked too far away from death. But we never knew that it was just hovering around,” he stated.

He prayed that Allah would forgive the deceased’s shortcomings and grant his household the energy to bear the loss.

‘We were friends for almost 50 years’

Yusuf, who stated he had recognized Kashim for nearly 5 many years, described him as a good, reliable and God-fearing particular person.

In his tribute, the previous NHIS govt secretary stated their friendship started at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and endured for almost 50 years.

“Arch. Shettima Mohammed Kashim and I met in ABU Zaria and have been very good friends for almost 50 years,” he stated.

Recounting their remaining hours collectively, Yusuf stated they attended the guide launch on the Yar’Adua Centre on Friday and left the venue at about 1:20pm.

He stated they proceeded to a mosque in Wuse II for the Friday prayer earlier than having lunch at a close-by restaurant. They later noticed the Asr prayer on the mosque earlier than Kashim dropped him at his residence at about 4:30pm.

Yusuf stated he acquired a name from Kashim’s son about half an hour later, informing him that the household had been informed that his father’s automobile was concerned in an accident in Asokoro and that the occupant had been taken to Asokoro General Hospital.

He stated he rushed to the hospital, the place he met members of Kashim’s household and brothers, who knowledgeable him that the architect had died.

According to Yusuf, Kashim’s automobile ran right into a stationary truck, leading to deadly accidents.

“Shettima Mohammed Kashim was more than a friend to me and many. He was a good, decent, dependable and God-fearing person,” he stated.

“May Allah forgive all his shortcomings and reward him with Jannatul Firdaus,” he prayed.

Career as an architect

Despite his household’s political background, Kashim maintained an expert profession in structure and public service, in response to Abari.

He stated the deceased was skilled as an architect and remained dedicated to his career reasonably than utilizing his household connections to pursue a political profession.

Abari recalled that Kashim served as normal supervisor of the Borno Housing Corporation within the Nineteen Eighties earlier than transferring to the federal service, the place he additionally labored with the Federal Housing Authority.

His profession, Abari stated, mirrored a dedication to the career by which he was skilled.

“He did not abandon his training as an architect,” he stated.

Kashim was additionally recognized by the standard title of Shettima of Borno, a title related along with his household’s longstanding place within the conventional and political historical past of the area.

Yusuf stated the title had a historic connection to his father, Sir Kashim Ibrahim, who was conferred with the title of Shettima of Borno in 1935 and later grew to become Waziri of Borno in 1956.

Sir Kashim Ibrahim served as the primary indigenous governor of the Northern Region of Nigeria from 1962 to 1966.

Although his father occupied a distinguished place within the nation’s political historical past, Abari stated Kashim remained approachable and maintained friendships with individuals of totally different backgrounds and political persuasions.

Kashim was married to a daughter of the late Alhaji Mai Deribe, a famend businessman.