A former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abba Sayyadi Ruma, is dead.
Ruma, 59, died in a London hospital today after a brief illness.
Confirming Ruma’s demise, his uncle and Danwairen Katsina, Alhaji Sada Salisu Ruma, said late Sayyadi had battled diabetes for a long time before he eventually passed away this morning.
Born on March 13, 1962, late Ruma was an influential minister during the administration of late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua.
Aged 59, the late Ruma is survived by two wives and nine children.
He left office in March 2010 when acting president Goodluck Jonathan dissolved his cabinet.
He was the chairman of the Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development headquartered in Rome, Italy.
In May 2008, Ruma denied reports that Nigeria was suffering from a food crisis, saying the only problem was with the rising cost of rice.
He defended his ministry’s decision to centralize distribution of fertilizer rather than relying on private enterprise, and noted that the government was taking action to improve access to credit by farmers and to supply more tractors.
But the government would import rice if needed to cushion cost increases.
