Tragic : Late Ex GMD Lost mum, sister and son in a year
The immediate past Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Dr Maikanti Kachalla Baru is dead.
Baru’s death was announced by the current GMD of the corporation, Mele Kyari, on Saturday morning (30th May 2020).
Maikanti Baru was said to have died in Abuja not in Egypt as earlier stated according to a family source from Misau, he died in the late hours of Friday Night and will be buried in Abuja.
In a tweet via his official Twitter handle, Kyari described his predecessor as a brother, friend and mentor.
He said, “My brother, my friend and my mentor, Dr. Kachalla Baru, immediate past GMD of NNPC died late last night.
“He was of exemplary character and disposition. May Allah forgive him and have mercy upon him.”
Buhari mourns former NNPC GMD, Baru
President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with family, friends and professional colleagues of former Group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Maikanti Baru, who died on Friday night.
A statement issued by Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity), Femi Adesina, in Abuja on Saturday, said the president also commiserated with government and people of Bauchi State, management and staff of NNPC over the passing of the former GMD, “who worked very hard to initiate reforms in virtually all departments of the of the corporation, bringing it up to speed with global trends and best practices.”
It said President Buhari acknowledged Dr Baru’s contributions to “ensuring stability in the oil sector in Nigeria, with a more guaranteed supply and predictable price regime that weakened unscrupulous parallel marketers, especially during festive seasons.”
The President prayed that the almighty God will receive the soul of the departed, grant eternal rest, and comfort all who mourn him.
Gbajabiamila : “He gave his best to the country”
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, has described as painful, the passing away of the immediate past Group Managing Director (GMD) of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Kachalla Baru.
Hon Gbajabiamila said Baru gave his best to the country, especially during his tenure as the GMD of NNPC.
In a statement by his spokesman, Lanre Lasisi, the Speaker said Baru would be remembered for his contributions to the upliftment of NNPC.
He said the ex-NNPC boss died at a time his wealth of experience would be needed in the country’s oil and gas industry.
He prayed Allah to grant him Jannatul Firdaus and give his family the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.
Lost mum, sister and son in a year — the tragic story of Baru, ex-NNPC GMD
Before Baru passed, the grim reaper had hit Baru’s family. He lost three immediate members of his family; his mother, sister and son —all in one year!
Mohammed, his son, died in May, 2017, while in Dubai. At the time, he was studying at the American University, Sharjah.
Baru lost him about two weeks after his sister died in the same month. The former NNPC GMD was preparing to depart Nigeria for the 2017 Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Texa, United States, when death struck his sister.
Also, he was at the time still mourning Fatima Baru, his mother, who died in her hometown in Misau local government area of Bauchi state.
His mother passed away after a brief illness at the age of 102, leaving behind five children and over 50 grandchildren.
GOODBYE FOR NOW—AND FOREVER
On July 8, 2019, Baru bowed out as the 18th GMD of the NNPC.
At his valedictory session, he spoke of his high hopes for the NNPC and appreciated all those who supported him during his over 1,000 days in office.
While addressing guests at the event, Baru had told Kyari: “Every good parent wants to see his children be better than him; I can’t be better than you. The success of turning around the fortunes of NNPC is success for all of us.”
To the management team and staff of the NNPC, he had said: “Today is the perfect time for me to say goodbye and take my leave, as I watch and count the successes the corporation will be recording in years to come … long live NNPC, long live Federal Republic of Nigeria, bye bye for now.”
Maikanti Kachalla Baru was born July 7, 1959 he was a Nigerian engineer, crude oil marketer and the 18th Group Managing Director of the Nigeria’s state oil firm, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
He was appointed as the GMD of NNPC on 4th July 2016 , Baru announced his retirement from NNPC on 7th July 2019 after clocking the mandatory retirement age of 60.
He had previously served as the Group General Manager (GGM) of National Petroleum Investment Management Services.
Baru was a fellow of Nigerian Society of Engineers and Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
Baru took a bow from from life on May 29. And the curtain closed.