Former Head of Service in Lagos State and scion of the Tinubu family,
Alhaji Rafiu Babatunde Tinubu, passed away on Wednesday morning in Abuja after a brief illness. He was aged 75.
Details of the nature of illness is not yet available.
But the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday commiserated with the Tinubu family, saying the death of the former Lagos top civil servant was a huge loss to the state and the nation in general.
In a statement signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Gboyega Akosile, Sanwo-Olu sympathised with Tinubu family, the deceased’s friends and associates, saying: “Alhaji Tinubu’s demise came at a time the nation and Lagos in particular needed his wealth of experience the most.”
The statement added: ‘‘As experienced administrator per excellence, we certainly will miss the late Alhaji Tinubu’s counsel on matters of importance in the state civil service.”
The Governor said Lagosians would always remember the “laudable achievements” of the former top civil servant, who, he said, served the state meritoriously for 26 years before he rose to become the Head of Service.
Sanwo-Olu said: “We can’t forget the contributions of late Alhaji Rafiu Tinubu towards the professionalisation of Lagos civil service. His quest for excellence and exemplary leadership were hallmark of his earthly sojourn.
‘‘We condole the Tinubu family, especially our National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, wife and children of the deceased and the entire extended families of late elder statesman. I pray that Almighty Allah grant the late Alhaji Rafiu Tinubu Al-Janah Firdaus and grant members of the family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”