The late General Sani Abacha was a man who set out to reposition Nigeria and take it to another level.

This view was experessed by the former President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), who was speaking to newsmen in Kano yesterday at the 10th year memorial prayers for Abacha. He maintained that the late Head of State was a man of vision.

Babangida referred to Abacha's Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), which he said has done wonderfully good and impacted on the life of Nigerians.

He said the late General bequeathed a lasting legacy for which he would be remembered for a long period of time, adding that had Abacha lived to see through his target year of taking Nigeria to another level by 2010, he would have achieved it.

On his part, another former Head of State, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), said late General Abacha came to power at a very trying moment of the country’s polity. He said, "When Abacha came, there was wanton breach of law and order, corruption and naira devalueation, but within no time he changed all these phenomena to the status quo."

Gen. Buhari opined that even though Abacha was a military ruler, he had achieved so many things which the current political dispensation has not achieved. He said the impact of Abacha’s policies, especially through the PTF, which Buhari headed, is still felt all over the country.

An associate of the late Abacha, Professor Munzali Jibril, told LEADERSHIP that Abacha "was a very strong and focused leader."

"He has been much maligned since his death but his achievements tower above of his predecessors and successors," he said.

Jibril, a senior lecturer at the Bayero University, Kano, outlined Abacha’s achievements to include the creation of six more states and bringing the number of local governments to 774 in order to bring people closer to the government. He added, "He did a lot through the PTF with the assistance of his comrade, General Buhari."

A surprising dimension of the prayer session was a powerful delegation from the Niger Delta who came all the way to join the Abacha family in the prayers.

The leader of the delegation, Engr. Charles Mbakwe, said they were in Kano to commemorate with the family of late general at the occasion of his 10th year memorial anniversary.

Mbakwe, who spoke at the session on behalf of the team, described Abacha as the most outstanding leader the country ever had.

He said Abacha had honoured the Ijaw people for carving a state for their teeming population, which he said was the first recognition done to the people since the creation of Nigeria.

He said the Ijaws and the entire people of the Niger Delta would continue to pray for the repose of the soul of late leader.

He maintained that they would continue to support and respect Abacha’s family.

In their various tributes, the Deputy Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Musa Ibeto; Sheikh Karibullah Nasiru Kabara and Sheikh Aminudeen Abubakar described the death of Abacha as a great loss to the nation even as they described him as a staunch believer in one Nigeria.

Sheikh Aminudden said Abacha achieved greatness because he had obeyed Allah, the Prophet, and his elders.

He therefore called on the present leaders to imbibe the nationalistic and holistic mind of the late General.

Also in their remarks, two renown clerics, Ustaz Falalu Dan’Almajiri and Alhaji Bature Abdul’Aziz, explained that late Gen. Abacha was a great leaders who was always in the service of his people without fear or favour.

They also argued that Abacha had fought a lot for the survival of Africa, as well as ensuring peace, unity, economic growth and stability of the continent.

They thanked the Almighty Allah for giving the the family of the late General the wisdom to remember him after ten years since his death. They also called on the people to always pray for their dead parents, relations, friends, children, wives and teachers in order to ask the blessings and mercy of the Almighty God for them.

Other dignitaries present included the Talban Bauchi, Dr, Ibrahim Tahir; former Governor of Kaduna State, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), former ministers and the representatives of the Bayelsa State.

The prayer was conducted with the recitation of the Holy Qur'an, Islamic poems and lectures on the activities of the late General.