Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari has commitserated with the Government and people of Kwara State on the demise of the highly influential and popular musician, Alhaji Aminullahi Jaigbade Alao who passed on recently.
The President said the ‘Dadakuada’ exponent will be forever remembered for his invaluable contributions to the development of the creative industry in Nigeria.
“He had started to make an impact with his music very early in life and his fame as a fantastic and deep musician resonated along the West African coast, where he often honoured invitations to entertain lovers of his brand which he ultimately exported as far as the United States.
“His lack of formal education did nothing to vitiate the depth of indigenous wisdom that his music came to be associated with, earning him many chieftaincy titles and an Honourary Doctorate Degree from the Kwara State University,” notes the President.
President Buhari called on his numerous fans and mentees to eternalise the legacy of the “Professor of local wisdom” by imbibing his deep sense of responsibility.
He commended the family for choosing to immortalise him by taking up music, urging them to surpass the heights that the late legend attained.
As people from all walks of life mourn the demise of Alhaji Alao, the President prayed for the repose of his soul and directed his Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, to represent him at the eighth-day Fidau scheduled for Monday next week.
A great mentor
In a related condolence message, the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq also commiserated with the family of the late music legend, Alhaji Jaigbade Alao. He prayed Allah to grant him al-jannah Firdaus and comfort the family.
Alhaji Jaigbade died on Monday morning at the age of 121 years.
“On behalf of the government and people of Kwara State, I send our condolences to the family of Alhaji Jaigbade Alao and all lovers of his inimitable Dadakuada music worldwide. Alhaji Jaigbade was a legend whose mastery of his genre of music projected the state positively,” according to a statement.
“He was also a community leader in his own right. His death has created a void in the chain of great mentors for younger ones who took to his genre of dadakuada music. We beseech Allah to forgive him and grant him Al-jannah Firdaus.”
The Dadakuada crooner was among the statesmen that the Kwara State Government recently honoured in the maiden edition of its lifetime achievement awards dedicated to different personalities who served or contributed to the development of the state or the country at various levels/sectors.
Emmanuel Ukoh
