Close confidant and President Muhammadu Buhari’s nephew, Mamman Daura has said he was devastated and saddened by the demise of his two associates, Abba Kyari and Isa Funtua, whose deaths have created a vacuum in the administration.
Daura had shed light on his relationship with Kyari and Funtua before their death in a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Hausa Service, monitored in Kaduna at the weekend. Daura, Kyari and Funtua were believed to be the strong forces behind Buhari’s government, by reason of their closeness to the Presidency.
Reacting to their death and subsequent absence in government, Daura said: “It was very disturbing, truly. These two great personalities, aside being my friends, were my close associates and not blood relations. Close associates, due to long-term relationship…”
Narrating how he met Kyari and Funtua, Daura said: “When I was editor, I was informed one day, that one Abba Kyari Chima came to see me. I asked him to come in. I asked what the matter was. He said he wanted to work in New Nigerian. I asked what he was doing then. He said he was teaching. I told him that teaching was better than newspaper work. He said no, that in newspaper work, one was teaching the whole nation, but in teaching, one is just teaching a few persons. That amazed me and I then searched for an available place for him.
“After the search, the only available place he could get was the last in hierarchy. I told him to exercise patience, because his level of education had superseded that level. But, he said there was no problem, he would take that position. In fact, Malam Abba Kyari was not looking for money or position. He was looking for where to work and assist. It’s 43 years now we had been together.”Daura, now 81, also gave account of his relationship with the late Funtua.
“After leaving New Nigerian, and retired as a Managing Director, I became the Director of United Nigeria Textile Limited, (UNTL). It’s 40 years now. Funtua was the Personnel Manager there. That was when we became intimate. Together, we established Funtua Textiles…”
