President Muhammadu Buhari has described the death of the former President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Mamman Nasir, “as not only a loss to the judiciary, but also the country at large, because of his remarkable commitment to public service.”
Reacting to the death of the Galadiman Katsina in a statement soon after he heard the news, President Buhari recalled that “the late Nasir belonged to a generation of Judges and Justices who perceived public office as an opportunity to offer selfless service to the country and its people.”
According to Buhari, “Nasir and Judges of their golden age were more interested in leaving untainted record of integrity than accumulation of wealth overnight.”
Buhari said “when you look at Nasir’s modest lifestyle and his incredibly humble possessions, you would be disarmed at once by his honesty and patriotism.”
“While some Nigerians perceive public office as an opportunity to line their pockets, men of Nasir’s character put a higher premium on honest labour than on greedy accumulation of questionable wealth overnight”, Buhari added.
President Buhari explained that “gentlemen like Mamman Nasir succeeded in protecting their reputation because greed was far removed from their minds”, and that “contentment is the secret to a happy life of service to the people.”
According to the President, “lack of contentment is the devil behind greedy accumulation of wealth at the expense of others, but selfless public servants like Nasir were never motivated by the desire to live above their means.”
President Buhari said “Nasir’s family should be proud of their father because he built a solid and impeccable record of integrity, which is the greatest asset any individual should leave behind.”
The President directed that a government delegation be sent to condole the family, the government and people of Katsina State for the loss of this illustrious member of the Katsina Emirate Council.
Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media and Publicity)
April 13, 2019
