The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has expressed his heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Member of the Council of State, Alhaji Mogtari Sahanun who passed on and was buried on Tuesday, at Wa.
The Vice President who attended the “Adua,” Islamic funeral of the late statesman on Wednesday stated that he was shocked by the news of the demise of the man he upheld as strong and noble, but was hopeful that he was with his maker.
Eulogising Alhaji Sahanun, the Vice President described the deceased statesman as a man of integrity, kindness, humility and God fearing who rendered his sincere services to humanity and the nation without a shred of malice.
“He was really an old school man, very principled, disciplined, honest and a man of integrity. He was a teacher, politician, a founding member of state during former President Agyekum Kuffuor’s regime, the first minister for the Upper West Region under the New Patriotic Party, (NPP), who rose to become the Ambassador of Ghana to Burkina Faso and finally, a member of the Council of State,” he narrated.
Dr Bawumia said although the deceased was not materially rich and did not leave behind mansions, cars and chunk of money in his bank account, he was very rich in goodness, kindness and humility, saying those were the very virtues of life and what mattered most in life.
The Vice President called on the mourners as well as the family to walk in the exemplary life left behind by the late Alhaji Sahanun and honour his memory with good deeds towards mankind and the country at large.
A son of the late Alhaji, Mogtari Sahanun Junior, described his father as a strict disciplinarian who played the role of a father and a companion, saying he exhibited the qualities every child would want in a father and pushed for unity amongst the siblings.
The Adua was conducted by Mallam Diaullah Yussif who did the Quran recitations and Alhaji Zakaria Malik who said the opening and closing prayers.
It was attended by members of the Council of State, ministers from other regions, sympathisers from the ruling NPP as well as opposition parties such as the National Democratic Congress, (NDC) and the People’s National Convention (PNC).
BY LYDIA FORDJOUR AND RAFIA ABDUL-RAZAK