Abba Kayari Dead - Femi Adesina

Kingsley Momoh - Lagos

Late Abba Kyari

In a statement released early Saturday by Femi Adesina who is the special adviser to President Buhari on media and publicity, the chief of staff to President Buhari, Abba Kyari is dead.

Abba Kyari was reported to have come down with the dreaded and ravaging corona virus but it was however denied by Mr. Adesina who said it was not in anybody's place to disclose the health situation of anyone except as declared by the person or anyone a person authorized to do so.

The statement released reads:

The Presidency regrets to announce the passage of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari. The deceased had tested positive to the ravaging COVID-19, and had been receiving treatment. But he died on Friday, April 17, 2020. May God accept his soul. Funeral arrangements will be announced shortly. Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on media and publicity; April 18, 2020.

Abba Kyari obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology from the University of Warwick, England, in 1980. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Law from the University of Cambridge, England and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1983. In 1984, he obtained a Masters’ Degree in Law from his alma-mater, the University of Cambridge.

Between 1988 and 1990, he was Editor with the New Africa Holdings Limited Kaduna, (publishers of Democrat Newspapers). He served with the Borno State Executive Council as Commissioner for Forestry and Animal Resources in 1990 and was Secretary to the Board of African International Bank Limited, between 1990 and 1995.

He attended the International Institute for Management Development at Lausanne, Switzerland, and participated in the Program for Management Development at the Harvard Business School, in 1992 and 1994 respectively.

Abba Kyari was Executive Director, Management Services, United Bank for Africa Plc. (UBA) and later the Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Bank. He was appointed a Director of Unilever Nigeria Plc. in 2002.

He served as Honorary Member of the Presidential Advisory Council on Investment in Nigeria between 2000 and 2005. He is a recipient of the Nigerian Honor Award of Officer of the Order of the Niger (O.O.N).