Top government functionaries including the Secretary to the Government of the Federal, Mr. Boss Mustapha, FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state, among several others today gathered at the National Mosque, Abuja, for the funeral prayers of Hajiya Zainab Sidi- Ali.
Late Hajiya Zainab, mother of the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, passed on Tuesday evening after a brief illness.
Speaking shortly after prayers at the Gudu cemetery, the Kogi state governor said the late Zainab Sidi-Ali lived an exemplary life.
While praying that God grants her a peaceful rest and forgive her short comings, Governor Bello admonished those still alive to emulate the exemplary life of the deceased who lived in service to humanity.
According to him, “We all believe that we come from God, and we shall all return to God, and today our sister, our mother has answered the divine call. She happen to be my direct sister, but we lost her today to the good hands of death. She has gone and she lived a glorious life.
“Today we have one of her children in the person of Dr Ramatu Aliyu, who is exemplifying her attitude and her character, and her good neighborliness, by bringing people together.
“Now that she has gone back to God Almighty, we pray that God grant her rest and forgive her all her sins. As Muslims, we believe we shall return back to God, and she has returned back to God”.
Bello, therefore, admonished the family members to continue to live in peace, take after her examples when she was alive, and continue to live united together, so that lives after this particular world would be a glorious one.
In his sermon, the Chief Imam of Abuja Central Mosque, Malam Muhammad Adam, stated that death is a lesson to the living, as all mortals are bound to die.
Other personalities that attended the funeral ceremony include the Police Affairs Minister, Mallam Mohammed Dingyadi, FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adesola Olusade, former FCTA Permanent Secretary, Mr. Christian Ohaa, Mandate Secretariat in FCT Administration, Area Council Chairmen and top management staff of the Administration.