Yakowa’s remains arrive Kaduna

Mr. Yakowa’s remains were received by his immediate family and the Kaduna Governor.

The remains of the late Governor of Kaduna State, Patrick Yakowa, who died Saturday alongside five others including former National Security Adviser, Andrew Azazi, in a helicopter crash in Bayelsa State, arrived the tarmac of the Kaduna International Airport at about 2.45 p.m. on Tuesday.

The corpse arrived aboard a cargo plane UR-CAG accompanied by the remains of his aide, Dauda Tsoho.

The new Governor of Kaduna State, Muktar Yero; the late Governor’s wife, Amina Yakowa; and his three children, Benedicter, Kyola and Peter; were amongst other prominent people at the airport to receive the remains.

Prayers were offered by the Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Kaduna, Kujiya, and two other Bishops before the remains of the late Governor was put into a waiting ambulance with registration number KDGH 156 by the Knights of St. Mulumba of the Kaduna Archdiocese.

The delegation from Bayelsa State was led by the Deputy Governor, John Jonah, who was accompanied by the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Sunny Ateke; and six others.

In his remarks while handing over the body of the late governor to Mr. Yero, Mr. Jonah described the death of the deceased as tragic

“We had a valedictory session in honour of the late Governor; it was a touching session because his death was sharp and unexpected. I don’t have the correct words to describe the shocking mood that is running in Bayelsa State,” he stated.

He also sympathized with the people of Kaduna State and advised them to work together with the new governor with a view to moving the state forward.

Governor Yero while receiving the body thanked the people of both Bayelsa and Kaduna States for the concern they showed towards the late Governor and his associate, Mr. Tsoho.

The remains of the late governor, which was later deposited at the St. Gerald Catholic Hospital, was received by the Senate President, David Mark and his wife.

While the convoy conveying the remains of the Governor to the hospital was moving, residents stood on roadsides to pay their last respect to their late governor, who they popularly referred to as Yakowa Nakowa, literally meaning, ‘Yakowa man of the people’.

There will be a wake keep at the government house on Wednesday, while the late governor will be buried at his family home in Fadan Kagoma on Thursday.