Borno elder, Gaji Galtimari, dies at 81

A Borno elder and former Nigerian ambassador to Chad, Gaji Galtimari, has passed on.

He died on Saturday night in Maiduguri, at the age of 81 years, after a brief illness.

He was buried in Maiduguri after a well attended funeral service led by the Chief Imam of Borno and attended by top dignitaries, including the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima.

Mr Galtimari was the chairman of Borno Elders’ Forum and Kanem Borno Cultural Foundation.

Before his death, Mr Galtimari served in the federal civil service where he rose to the position of permanent secretary before he was appointed secretary to the military government of Borno State under Abdulmuminu Aminu. He was later appointed Nigerian ambassador to Chad by the defunct military regime of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida.

The last public office held by the deceased was the chairmanship of Kanem Borno Historical and Cultural foundation which had just last week made a public presentation of a two-volume publication on first-ever comprehensive history of the ancient Kanem Borno empire, titled ‘Kanem Borno: ‘A Thousand Years of Heritage’.

He was also a key player in some of the early but failed attempts by the federal government of Nigeria to strike a deal with the Boko Haram insurgents.

He is survived by many children and grand children.