Veteran Journalist Sidi Ali Dies At 86

A former Second Republic lawmaker and veteran journalist, Sidi Ali passed away on Thursday evening at the age of 86 even as the Kano State Government has mourned his passage.

The elder statesman, father to Hakama Sidi Ali, the acting Director of the Corporate Communication Department at the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) was celebrated for his unwavering devotion to national service, especially in the field of public information.

Human rights activist and former lawmaker, Shehu Sani, took to his X handle (formerly Twitter) on Friday to express his grief, describing Ali as a “human library” known for his extraordinary ability to recall every significant event in Nigeria’s history.

“I received the sad news of the demise of renowned elder statesman, author, journalist, politician, and historian, Alhaji Sidi Ali. The late Sidi was a prolific writer and a human library who could recount events in Nigeria up until late independence. A great loss. My condolences to his family and the people of Kano State,” Sani posted.

Throughout his illustrious career, Ali made significant contributions to various institutions including the Nigerian International Press Centre, the Ministry of Information, and the National Broadcasting Commission.

As a respected member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), he was an active participant in the party’s Elders Committee in Kano State.