The Kano State Government has declared Tuesday as public holiday in honor of the late elder statesman, Alhaji Maitama Sule, who died, in the early hours of Monday in a hospital in Cairo, Egypt.
In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information, Mallam Mohammed Garba, the state government confirmed that the former Minister of National Guidance in the Second Republic died in Cairo after a protracted illness.
According to the statement, the deceased’s lying in state will take place at the palace of Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, to enable prominent Nigerians mourn and pay their last respect to the elder statesman before his interment.
The statement reads : ” The death has occurred today (Monday) of Alhaji (Dr.) Yusuf Maitama Sule, Dan Masanin Kano.
“Dr. Yusuf Maitama Sule died at a hospital in Cairo, Egypt, where he was receiving treatment for an illness.
“Funeral prayer for the deceased will be conducted tomorrow (Tuesday) at the Emir’s Palace, Kofar Kudu, by 4:00 p.m.
“Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has declared Tuesday a work – free day in the state to mourn the death of the elder statesman.”
One of the late Sule’s surviving sons, Alhaji Mukhtar Maitama Sule, said he died 24 hours after arriving the Egyptian hospital.
He said his father’s remains would be flown to Nigeria on Tuesday for a befitting burial.
