“Hunted alive, not honoured in death.” This phrase, perhaps, succinctly captured the story of a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, who died in the early hours of Sunday, September 19, 2021.
Mailafia died at the age of 64 at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, after a brief illness.
His death shocked many Nigerians who looked up to him for his audacious voice against perceived official tardiness that has contributed to the crisis being experienced in certain sectors of the national life, including the economy.
Many leading organisations, including the Northern Governors Forum; Christian Association of Nigeria, Southern Kaduna People’s Union, Arewa Consultative Forum, National Consultative Front, amongst others, have since mourned the passing of the developmental economist.
However, in an unusual departure from the norm, the Presidency and the apex bank where Mailafia served as deputy governor between May 2005 and March 2007, have kept mum.
Though the Presidency has not issued any condolence message on the death of Mailafia five days after, it has condoled with legendary juju singer, Sunday Adegeye aka King Sunny Ade, on the death of his wife, Risikat Adegeye, who died on Tuesday.
The Presidency had also expressed sadness over the death of the Emir of Gaya, Ibrahim Abdulkadir, who died on Wednesday, September 22, a clear four days after Mailafia’s demise.