Babangida, Abubakar to join virtual tributes as Nda-Isaiah’s funeral begins

Leadership Publisher, Sam Nda-Isaiah

Former heads of state Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) and Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) are expected on Wednesday to join the virtual tributes as the funeral rites of the late chairman of Leadership Group Limited Sam Nda-Isaiah kicks off.

Traditional ruler in Niger State, Etsu Nupe Yahaya Abubakar is also expected to participate in the event, the Nda-Isaiah family announced in a statement on Tuesday.

According to the statement, the funeral rites have been slightly modified in line with the Federal Government’s directive of five-week restrictions on activities involving large gathering of people.

While activities for the burial will commence Wednesday as planned, the service of songs earlier scheduled to hold at the International Conference Centre Abuja on December 27, 2020, will now be a virtual event.

According to the statement, save for the change in the mode of conducting the service of songs, all other arrangements remain as planned.

The family regretted any inconvenience the slight adjustment might have caused friends, associates and other dignitaries who might have factored the service of songs into their tight schedules.

Nda-Isaiah held the traditional title of Kakaki Nupe, spokesperson of the Nupe people, among several other traditional titles.

The 58-year-old who died on December 11, 2020 after a  brief illness will be interred on December 28, 2020 at the Gudu Cemetery, Abuja at 10am in an invitation-only ceremony.

The media mogul is survived by his aged mother, wife, children and siblings.