Mallam Abba Kyari, was a banker, lawyer and journalist, at the time of his death, he was the Chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.
After his demised, Nigerians came out to say lots of negative and positive things about this controversial figure.
Kano state Commissioner of Works and Infrastructure, Engineer Mu’azu Magaji wrote on his Facebook wall, “Win-win… Nigeria is free and Abba Kyari ya mutu a cikin annoba… Mutuwar Shahada in Har da Imani mutum ya cika!” meaning “Win-win… Nigeria is free and Abba Kyari died in a disastrous way without faith.”
Bashir Othman Tofa, presidential candidate in the June 12, 1993 election, says his opinion of Abba Kyari changed with just one incident.
He said,“I am the chairman of a group we named, ‘Friends of Democracy.’ “We discuss much on security and other matters. During one of our extensive meetings on a Thursday, I asked if one of us who knew Mal. Abba could make an appointment for us any time the following day, Friday. One of us called him at about 8pm and said to him, ‘Our Chairman asked if you could give us an appointment to see you tomorrow to discuss some vital national issues with you.’
“When Mal. Abba enquired who the chairman was, and was told that it was Alhaji Bashir Tofa, he paused and then said Friday was too tight, but he would be willing to come to where I wanted at 10pm that day. And, at 10pm sharp, Mal. Abba was there. And at 10pm, my whole impression of what negatives I read about him was shaken.
“By the time we had our meeting and he answered all of our questions, his entire image was reconstructed in my mind. There was a true gentleman, willing to answer any question we posed. He accepted some failings and told us why, and even took notes. My respect and admiration for him was multiplied many folds that night.”
Cheta Nwanze in a tribute wrote ," he was instrumental in shaping the contours of the Buhari administration policy thinking on agriculture, defining the government’s focus on achieving rice self-sufficiency"
Sam Nda-Isaiah is of the opinion that;"Mallam Abba Kyari was a decent, humble and simple gentleman who delighted himself with intellectual and higher pursuits."
"He was cerebral. He was a technocrat, a workhorse and an accomplisher. He was not a perfect human being. Nobody was, nobody is and nobody will ever be. But he was a totally decent human being."
"Mallam Abba had no desire whatsoever for riches and worldly accoutrements. He had ample opportunities to feed such desires, if he had any. He was Managing Director and CEO of UBA at a time the bank was still at the top of the banking industry in Nigeria. Compare him to all those who had occupied that office in the past and you would understand what I mean".
"He was also on the board of Unilever Plc and ExxonMobil for several years, and, between 2000 and 2005, he was a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on investment in Nigeria. Since I knew Mallam Abba, his interests had always been about the Nigerian state. There was not a time we sat down to talk that the dominant subject was not Nigeria. "
"He had a great sense of humour and I used to tease him a lot. I would pull his legs about being Kanuri. He always retorted by saying he was Shuwa and not Kanuri, to which I always replied, “Same difference.” I often told him that he belonged to the most dangerous professions of the world. He was a banker, a lawyer and a journalist".
" he was consummately a practical man of peace. Mallam Abba would go the whole hog to reconcile feuding friends even when he had nothing to gain from that". "He was also a well-known man of integrity".
"Mallam Abba was an all-round family man. I have heard him utter the words, “You must never compromise your family.” He was a competent parent and a proud father who raised his kids and educated them to the highest possible standard. The very last thing we discussed on March 7 was my wife Zainab."
