Jonathan, wife visit  Sambo over brother’s death

•Says death necessary journey for everyone

President Goodluck Jonathan accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, yesterday visited Vice President Namadi Sambo to console him over his brother’s death, Capt Yusuf Sambo.

Capt. Sambo , a pilot died in a ghastly car accident on Bill Clinton Drive, Abuja, early yesterday when his car collided with a tree and burst into flames.

The Vice President had just returned to the country from the United Republic of Tanzania, where he represented President Goodluck Jonathan at  the  golden jubilee celebration of the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar‎ on April 26th, 1964.

Sambo on his return, was driven to the National Mosque where a brief funeral service was conducted in honour of the deceased.

He was later buried according to Islamic rites at a cemetery within Abuja.

Jonathan, at the Akinola Aguda official residence of the Vice President, described the days as one of the saddest days for the country.

He described human beings as mere mortals, saying death is a journey everybody must make.

He said, “We are all mere mortals. All of us are from the earth, we must all go back to the earth. We do not know the timing of this journey all of us must make.

“This world is a place where we come to play our different roles. He left too early. Maybe he left when the ovation is loudest. He left at a time we needed him most. But there is nothing we can do.”

The President  described as saddening, the circumstances of Capt Sambo’s death. In his remarks, Sambo said the deceased who was his immediate younger brother was one of the most experienced pilots in the country.

He thanked the President for leading government officials to condole with him.

Special prayers were said for the repose of Capt Sambo’s soul.  Some of the early callers at the Vice President’s official residence were Governor Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State; Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Muhammed; Minister of Defence, Aliyu Guasu; Minister of State, Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro; other members of the National Assembly, members of the Federal Executive Council as well as other top government officials.

Until his death the deceased was a qualified pilot who worked with the former Nigerian Airways and the Presidential Air Fleet before retiring to be on his own.

Late Capt. Sambo was born in 1956, and died at the age of 58. He is survived by his wife, three daughters and 10 brothers and sisters.

The Vice President had just returned to the country from the United Republic of Tanzania, where he represented President Goodluck Jonathan at  the  golden jubilee celebration of the Union between Tanganyika and Zanzibar‎ on April 26th, 1964.

Sambo, who got the news just when he was preparing to return to the country from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, was driven straight to the National Mosque from the airport, where a brief funeral service was conducted in honour of the deceased.

He was later buried according to Islamic rites at the Apo cemetery.

Present at the burial rites were former military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and several other dignitaries and sympathizers.