The remains of a former Minister of State for Finance and Minister of Commerce and Industry, Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye, have been buried.
Martins-Kuye, who died on Sunday in Lagos at the age of 78, was buried in his country home in Ago Iwoye, in the Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State was buried amidst tears and eulogies from who-is-who in Nigeria.
He was buried in line with COVID-19 protocol after a Janazah prayer was said on his remains by clerics led by the Chief Imam of Ijebuland, Sheik Muftau Ayanbadejo.
Dignitaries at the burial ceremony included a former governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel; Senator representing Ogun East, Lekan Mustapha; a former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Sarafa Ishola; a former member of House of Representatives from Remo-North, Oladipupo Adebutu, and a former spokesperson for ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, Doyin Okupe, among others.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday while morning Martins-Kuye in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, titled, ‘President Buhari condoles with family of former minister, Sen. Jubril Martins-Kuye,’ Buhari recognised the ex-, minister’s contributions to tailoring budgets that reflected needs of the people with his emphasis on full implementation.
The Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, who also commiserated with family, friends and associates of Martins Kuye said the demise of the former Minister of State for Finance marked the end of an era “and significantly underscores the depletion of the rank of elder statesmen, men of faith and progressive politicians in the country.”
Governor Abiodun in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, quoted the governor as saying, “I have personally lost a great pillar of support, who offered useful advice to advance my political career.”
The former governor Gbenga Daniel in his tribute said, “JMK weaved an intricate web of leadership cutting across religious, politics and corporate lifestyles. He was a great leader with a clear reputation for fairness and balance.”
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ogun State chapter, Mogaji Dele Ajayi described Martins-Kuye’s death as a colossal loss not only to the party and Ogun State but the nation at large, saying his wealth of experience will be missed.