BREAKING:Veteran Second Republic Lawmaker Dies at 86

A former federal lawmaker, Alhaji Sidi Ali, is dead.

Ali was a veteran journalist and a lawmaker in the Second Republic. He was 86 years old.The elder statesman died on Thursday evening in Kano.

His contributions extended beyond politics into journalism and historical scholarship, making him a pivotal figure in Nigeria’s narrative.

The news of his demise was confirmed by Senator Shehu Sani, another former lawmaker, who paid tribute to Ali on social media, recognizing his significant interactions with world leaders and icons of the 1960s and 1970s such as President J.F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, and Kwame Nkrumah. According to Senator Sani, Alhaji Ali was akin to a “human library,” remembered for his deep knowledge and ability to recount extensive details of Nigeria from its independence to the present.

Ali’s career included notable positions at the Nigerian International Press Centre, the Ministry of Information, and the National Broadcasting Commission. He leaves behind a legacy of intellectual and political achievements, and his recent familial contribution includes his son, Hakama Sidi Ali, who was appointed as the spokesperson for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).