ABUJA – Funeral prayers were held for the Sudanese ambassador to Nigeria, Dr Tagelsir Ali, on Friday evening at the National Mosque, Abuja, before his corpse was taken to Khartoum for burial.
Ali died early on Friday at the National Hospital, Abuja.
The Media Advisor to the embassy, Mr Mohammed Abdulrahman, had earlier told NAN that Ali, 66, had malaria and died at the hospital “after some complications.’’
Members of the Sudanese community in Abuja, embassy staff and well-wishers waited at the Mosque ground for the corpse, which arrived from the National Hospital shortly before 5.30 p.m.
His coffin, wrapped in Sudan national flag, was brought in the front portion of the prayer hall before the Deputy Chief Imam of the National Mosque, Mohammed Kabiru, led the prayers.
A Sudanese in Diaspora, Usman Mohammed, described the death of the ambassador as “a great loss to Sudan, Africa, Muslims and the Arab Ummah.’’
Mohammed said the ambassador, who hails from Northern Kordovan, was his former teacher in Sudan, and had served thrice as minister in Sudan.
“He (late minister) spent three years in Nigeria as ambassador and he was a rare gem.
“He came with a lot of zeal and energy when he was appointed ambassador to Nigeria.
“He was a minister in the seventies in Sudan and a former director of the Institute of Strategic Studies.
“He was also a writer and had written a book entitled “In expectation of Dawn.’’
Later, his corpse was taken to the Sudanese embassy in Abuja, where members of staff and members of the diplomatic corps paid their last respects.
The Charge D’ Affairs of the embassy, Mr Mohammed Ismail, told NAN that Ali was a man of history and a pioneer of education in Sudan.
He said “he was a lecturer in Somalia and former minister of finance and a key member of the negotiating team of the peace process between North and South Sudan.
“He has left a legacy and we his colleagues have learnt a lot from him, we will miss him and his legacy.’’
Ali’s remains left the embassy for the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where a Sudanese presidential jet was waiting to convey to Khartoum for burial. (NAN)
