Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has mourned the death of a Kano-based sickle cell activist, Shema’u Imam, who died Friday night at Mallam Aminu Kano Hospital, AKTH.
Until her death, late Shema’u was a level 400 Microbiology student of Bayero University Kano, BUK, and a member of Sickle Trust Fund.
She was also the Chairperson of Sickle Cell Community in the state.
The governor, in a statement on Saturday by his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar, described the activist’s death as a “suffocation to fight against the disease in the country”.
According to him, the deceased was a focused and efficiently committed young lady, who believed in total service to humanity.
As a sickle cell patient, the governor said, late Shema’u did not relent on dedication, resilience, responsibility and responsiveness to fight for others against the health challenge, in the community.
“She was exemplary shining star as well as a heroine,” Mr Ganduje stressed.
“It is pertinent to therefore, on behalf of the government and the good people of Kano state, extend our heartfelt and deep sadness condolence over this lost, while remembering the gap created by this death, to her families, Sickle Cell communities across the nation, friends and all other groups.
“Her footsteps were big enough to accommodate many feet before the Sickle Cell community gets the most appropriate replacement.
“We must encourage others to take a leaf from her many contributions when she was alive. As young as she was, she achieved many things in life. Things that were people-centred. May her gentle soul rest in perfect peace,” Mr Ganduje said.
The governor also commiserated with other civil society organizations that fight against sickle cell anemia in the state.
