Apart from the immediate family of the late Bashir Othman Tofa and Kano State, an eminent Northern group, the Abuja Roundtable/AR Chat Room is the most-bereaved by the death of the statesman.
Former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido gave this hint in a condolence message and short tribute to the late presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Conversation (NRC), which he posted on his Facebook page.
The former Foreign Affairs Minister recalled his rare fellowship with the late nationalist when an intertwine of Northern sentiments and nationalism pooled a group of like-minds of northern extraction, which led to the formation of the Abuja Roundtable and, subsequently, the AR CHAT ROOM.
“Bashir was my good friend,” Lamido said, recalling, therefore, “When the idea of of forming the Abuja Round Table the parent body of AR CHAT ROOM was mooted by a group of NINE namely, Dr Bello Halliru, Mahmoud Yayale, Attahiru Bafarawa, Barr Tanimu Turaki, Adamu Waziri, Ibrahim Shema, Ahmed Makarfi, Lawal Batagarawa and myself, I was mandated to approach and invite Bashir Tofa to join us.”
The PDP Chieftain recalled in an emotion-ladden tone: “I visited him at his Castle and told him about the Group and as expected, he asked about the objective of the Group.
He said he, therefore, told Tofa the names of the members of the group and their concern and worry about the seeming division in Northern Nigeria and the emerging cracks threatening the region’s legendary Unity in Diversity with serious security and economic consequences.
“I informed him of our desire to identify like minds to dialogue and restore the trust and common bond among the various components of Northern Nigeria irrespective of our religion or tribe as per the dream of our founding fathers!” Lamido narrated further.
“The Bashir I know who will do anything and sacrifice anything for Northern Nigeria did not disappoint me and instantly jumped at the idea and so the birth of Abuja Round Table and subsequent AR Chat Room,” he disclosed.
Lamido extolled the virtues of the late Bashir Othman Tofa.
“I knew Bashir Tofa as an extremely courageous and fearless person and above all highly knowledgeable” the former Jigawa State Governor said, explaining, “His able leadership qualities of Abuja Round Table and AR Chat Room eloquently testify to that.”
He described Bashir Tofa’s death as a loss not only to his family, the people of Kano and Nigeria but will leave a huge gap in the service of Northern Nigeria by Abuja Round Table and Chat Room.
He prayed Allah to comfort his family and give them the strength to bear what he described as irreplaceable loss and also admit him into Aljanna.
