Former minister of finance Malam Adamu Ciroma has died at 84.
Ciroma died at a Turkish Hospital in Abuja this on Thursday after a prolonged illness.
A historian and Journalist, who later became governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Adamu Ciroma began his career as Special Assiatant Political Affairs to the late Premier of Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello.
The CBN, where he was the governor, has expressed shock at the death of its former boss.
A former Managing Director of New Nigerian Newspaper, he also served as Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria in the military under Olusegun Obasanjo regime. He was presidential aspirant at different occasions and served as Minister of Agricultue under Shagari administration.
He returned as Minister of Finance to Obasanjo administration in 1999.
The late Ciroma was a founding figure of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and served as member of the Board of Trustee of the party.
He will be missed for his courageous interventions in the political activities of the country at crucial moments such as the Abacha regime when he and other statesmen wrote Abacha advising him not to transform as a civilian president.
Meanwhile the CBN in a statement extolled the sterling qualities of the deceased politician.
The statement reads, “With a deep sense of loss, the Governor and Management of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announce the passage of Mallam Adamu Ciroma, who died on July 5, 2018. He was the Governor of the Bank from September 24, 1975 to June 28 1977.
“Mallam Ciroma was born on November 20 1934 in Potiskum, Yobe State. He was a graduate of University of Ibadan and served in different capacities in the Public Service. He was appointed to the Board of the Central Bank of Nigeria in 1970 where he served as a Director before his appointment as the Governor in 1975. He also served as Minister in the Ministries of Industry, Agriculture and Finance and on the Board of several companies.
“Until his demise, Mallam Ciroma was still of immense service to the Bank. He was a firm believer in the sanctity and independence of the CBN.
“While we mourn the loss of a very good man, an astute central banker and a patriot, we also celebrate his remarkable life and contribution to the banking industry in Nigeria.
“He is survived by his wife and children and has since been buried according to Islamic rites.
“We pray Almighty Allah to grant his family and the nation the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”
Meanwhile, Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has said that his world view was largely influenced by the early contacts and mentorship that he received from Malam Adamu Ciroma, who passed on in Abuja on Thursday.
“A lot of what I have turned out to be in life today was as a result of the early contacts and mentorship that I had with Adamu Ciroma, who graciously offered me vacation job in my formative years”, Atiku.
In a statement by his media office in Abuja, the former Vice President said that the death of Ciroma has robbed Nigeria of one of its finest statesmen who gave their best to their country.
Reacting to the demise of Ciroma in a statement in Abuja, Atiku described the deceased as an astute politician, bureaucrat, technocrat and banker who served Nigeria selflessly.
According to him, Ciroma’s honesty and patriotism were among his greatest virtues, adding that the deceased had left behind untainted public service record for which he would always be remembered.
Atiku recalled that distinguished public figures like Ciroma joined politics primarily motivated by the passion to serve rather than self-aggrandizement.
He said Ciroma’s honesty had earned him respect by successive governments in Nigeria and that this reputation would follow him beyond the grave.
The Waziri Adamawa also recalled that the late Ciroma was a patriotic politician who believed in unity and a just democratic order.
He said even Ciroma’s worst enemy could not argue against his patriotism and selflessness, adding that Nigeria was in desperate need of such dedicated men like Ciroma in order to achieve progress.
Atiku while recalling his last visit to Ciroma at his sick bed in Abuja on Tuesday said “little did (he) know that that was going to be the last time (he) will see the man that (he) had looked up to as a mentor for several decades”.
Atiku condoled with the Ciroma family and the people and government of Yobe State even as he prayed to Allah to forgive him and reward his good deeds with paradise.
