The Chairman, Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) Board of Trustees Nastura Ashiru Sherif has expressed sadness over the death coalition’s pioneer spokesperson and former spokesperson of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Abdul-Azeez Suleiman.
Sherif said he received the news with “deep sadness and total submission to the will of Allah.”
Dateline Nigeria reports that Abdul-Azeez died Wednesday morning ahead of a scheduled surgery at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika, Zaria.
“Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilaihir Raji’un,” Sherif wrote in a statement mourning the passing of his friend and brother. “His death is a huge loss, not only to his immediate family and the CNG family but to the entire North and Nigeria as a whole. The vacuum he leaves behind will be difficult to fill.”
He said Abdul-Azeez will be remembered as a humble, simple and selfless figure who devoted his life to the service of Northern Nigeria, the Zazzau Emirate and humanity at large.
Colleagues described him as a fearless advocate against injustice, illiteracy and oppression, and a respected voice for truth and societal progress.
As CNG’s pioneer spokesperson, he helped shape the coalition’s early messaging and advocacy on issues affecting Northern Nigeria. He later served as spokesperson for the Northern Elders Forum, where he was known for articulating the group’s positions on national and regional matters.
Sherif said Abdul-Azeez’s commitment to public service and advocacy left a lasting mark on civil society and political discourse in the North.
“May Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings, reward his sacrifices, and grant him Aljannatul Firdaus. Amin,” he prayed.
