AYO ESAN, ABUJA
Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olabode George has described former President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, who transited the way of all mortals and was buried Sunday in his humble homestead of Shagari Village as “a true patriot without adornments, stripped of hubris, fully fleshed in modesty and calmness of purpose”.
George in a release signed by his Special Adviser on Political Matters, Prince Uthman Shodipe- Dosunmu said Shagari’s passage at the age of 93 “has robbed this nation of a man whose leadership was unforced, whose vision was focused, whose devotion to the nation was thorough without any tincture of ethnic bias. “He was straight laced in all ramifications.
“He bore no grudges nor was he embittered by any experience. He calmly moved on, undetained by enmity.
“Our first Executive President was without malice, cheerful and confident, distant from rancor, beholding totally to the forgiven spirit.
” I first met him when he came to launch the Nigerian Naval flagship, NNS Aradu sometime in 1980. Even as the rallying leader of our nation, he shown with certain poise and instinctive humility. He carried about him a candid nobility, long tempered by accustomed natural simplicity.
“It is this softened, friendly, radiating defining aura that ultimately molded the essential corpus of this great man throughout his life.
“In all, he was a testament of sincere, selfless, dedicated and honest leadership without which no society can be enhanced in greater glory. He will be sorely missed wherever honor, truth, devotion to the righteous vision are treasured”, George said.