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Abba Kyari

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For the Army Brigadier who served as Governor of North-Central State, see Abba Kyari (military general).

Abba Kyari
OON
Chief of Staff to the President
In office
27 August 2015 – 17 April 2020
PresidentMuhammadu Buhari
Preceded byJones Arogbofa
Succeeded byIbrahim Gambari
Personal details
Born(1952-09-23)September 23, 1952
Borno State, Nigeria
Died17 April 2020(2020-04-17) (aged 67)
Lagos, Nigeria
SpouseHajiya Kulu Kyari
Children4(2 boys and 2 girls)
EducationUniversity of Warwick
University of Cambridge
Alma materNigerian Law School
International Institute for Management Development Switzerland
OccupationBusinessperson, lawyer, government official

Abba Kyari OON (23 September 1952 – 17 April 2020)[1] was a Nigerian businessperson, lawyer, and government official. He served as Chief of Staff to the President of Nigeria from August 2015 to April 2020.[2]

Early life and education

Kyari was born on 23 September 1952, to a Kanuri family from Borno. He was educated in St. Paul's College in Wusasa Zaria, and later considered joining the Nigerian Army following advice from Mamman Daura and Ibrahim Tahir.[3] In 1976, he met General Muhammadu Buhari who was then Governor of Borno State.[4]

He graduated with a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Warwick in 1980, and also obtained a law degree from the University of Cambridge.[5] Kyari was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1983 after attending the Nigerian Law School.[6]

In 1984, he obtained a master's degree in law from the University of Cambridge.[7] He later attended the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland,[8] and in 1992 and 1994 participated in the Harvard Business School's Program for Leadership Development.[9]

Career

Kyari worked for the law firm Fani-Kayode and Sowemimo for some time after his return to Nigeria.[10]

From 1988 to 1990, he was Editor with the New Africa Holdings Limited Kaduna. He also served as a Commissioner for Forestry and Animal Resources in Borno State in the 1990s.[11]

From 1990 to 1995, Kyari was the secretary to the board of the African International Bank Limited, a subsidiary of Bank of Credit and Commerce International.[11]

Kyari was an executive director in charge of management services at the United Bank for Africa, and was later appointed the chief executive officer. In 2002, he was appointed a board director of Unilever Nigeria, and later served on the board of Exxon Mobil Nigeria.[9]

Chief of Staff to the President

In August 2015, Kyari was appointed Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari.[12][13]

Kyari was an influential figure within the Buhari administration.[14] During the administration's first term, he worked mainly behind the scenes to implement the president's agenda.[15] In 2019 with Buhari's re-election for a second term, he ordered his cabinet to channel all requests through Kyari's office.[16] Further enhancing his influence within government circles, and being labelled as the de facto head of government.[17]

In 2017, following a leaked memo, Kyari became embroiled in a public argument with the Head of Civil Service,[18] who was later removed from office and arrested.[19][20] In 2020, in another leaked memo, Babagana Monguno the National Security Adviser accused Kyari of meddling in matters of national security.[21]

Personal life

Kyari was married to the sister-in-law of Ibrahim Tahir,[22] and had four children, Aisha, Nurudeen, Ibrahim, Zainab[23].[3]

On 24 March 2020, it was made public that Kyari tested positive for COVID-19 on 23 March, following an official trip to Germany nine days before.[24] There were reports that he had been flown out of the country for treatment,[25] and Reuters later reported he had "a history of medical complications, including diabetes".[26] On 29 March 2020, in an official statement, Kyari announced he was being moved from isolation in Abuja to Lagos for "preventive treatment".[27]

Kyari died on the evening of 17 April 2020 at age 67.[28] He was eulogised by The Economist as “a largely honourable man who went to the heart of a thoroughly corrupt and dysfunctional system, aiming to reform it—but who struggled to overcome its inertia amid a series of crises.”[29]

Honours and awards

Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON)[30] National honour in Nigeria

References

  1. ^ Ogundipe, Samuel (18 April 2020). "EXCLUSIVE: Abba Kyari's real date of birth uncovered". Premium Times. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  2. ^ Bakare, Tonye. "Buhari appoints Lawal as SGF, Kyari as CoS". Guardian Nigeria. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  3. ^ a b Kyari, Abba (23 December 2009). "Ibrahim Tahir: A Personal Loss". The Guardian.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ Buhari, Muhammadu (18 April 2020). "To my friend, Mallam Abba Kyari – Buhari". The Guardian.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "Exxon Mobil Nigeria Board of Directors". Exxon Mobil. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  6. ^ Aboyade, Funke. "From Dublin, Law School Set of '83 Plans Big". This Day Live Nigeria. Archived from the original on 16 October 2012. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  7. ^ "Exxon Mobil Nigeria Board of Directors". Exxon Mobil. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  8. ^ Ibukun, Yinka and Alonso Soto (17 April 2020). "Nigerian President's Chief of Staff Dies After Getting Virus". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  9. ^ a b Olumide, Seye (19 April 2020). "Abba Kyari: A litany of controversies". The Guardian (Nigeria). Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  10. ^ Bolashodun, Oluwatobi. "Fani-Kayode Reacts To Abba Kyari's Appointment". Naij. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  11. ^ a b "Abba Kyari: The Man, The Mandate And The Mission". Leadership. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  12. ^ Stanford, Igbo. "Mallam Abba Kyari Biography, Age, Early Life, Family, Net Worth And More". Information Guide Africa. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  13. ^ "Buhari appoints SGF, Chief of Staff, others - Premium Times Nigeria". 27 August 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  14. ^ Published. "Men of power: Nigeria's most influential power brokers". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  15. ^ "In surprise move, Saraki personally submits names of ministers to Buhari - Premium Times Nigeria". 3 November 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  16. ^ "Go through Abba Kyari to see me, Buhari directs ministers - P.M. News". www.pmnewsnigeria.com. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  17. ^ "Abba Kyari: Prime minister in a presidential system". Businessday NG. 25 August 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  18. ^ "Oyo-Ita, Kyari In Heated Argument At Presidential Villa". Channels Television. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  19. ^ "Buhari sacks Head of Service, Oyo-Ita - Premium Times Nigeria". 18 September 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  20. ^ Alli, Yusuf (23 March 2020). "Alleged N570m fraud: Ex-Head of Service Oyo-Ita arrested". The Nation. Retrieved 24 March 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ^ Ogundipe, Samuel (17 February 2020). "UPDATED: EXCLUSIVE: Buhari's team in disarray as NSA Monguno declares war on Abba Kyari". Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  22. ^ Haruna, Mohammed. "Tahir: The Death of a Radical Conservative".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ Kyari, Aisha Abba (5 May 2020). "Aisha Abba Kyari: My daddy, my best friend". TODAY. Retrieved 17 May 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ^ Owoseye, Ayodamola (24 March 2020). "UPDATED: Coronavirus: Abba Kyari reportedly tests positive; Kingibe, others may be tested". Retrieved 24 March 2020.
  25. ^ Desert Herald. "EXCLUSIVE: Buhari's Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari Admitted at London's Hospital". Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  26. ^ "Top Nigerian president aide, state governor test positive for coronavirus". Reuters. 24 March 2020. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  27. ^ "Covid-19: Why I moved to Lagos after testing positive - Abba Kyari". Daily Trust. 29 March 2020. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  28. ^ "Buhari's Chief Of Staff Abba Kyari Dies". The Guardian Newspapers. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
  29. ^ "Abba Kyari, who tried to clean up Nigeria, dies of covid-19". The Economist. 25 April 2020.
  30. ^ Nseyen, Nsikak (18 April 2020). "Abba Kyari: 10 things to know about Buhari's late Chief of Staff". Daily Post. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
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