... Colleagues recount decades of service and dedication as the Nigeria Union of Teachers mourns the late unionist in Kaduna State.
Kaduna, Nigeria – Grief swept through the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) as members, colleagues, and friends gathered to bid farewell to Comrade Adamu Ango Zaria, the union’s National Deputy Secretary-General, whose sudden death has left a void in the teaching and labour community.
National President of the NUT, Titus Amba, visibly shaken, described Ango’s passing as “a painful moment and a great loss to teachers and the labour movement in Nigeria.” Amba, who also serves as Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), spoke shortly after the burial ceremony, recalling the late unionist’s lifelong devotion to the cause of workers.
Ango’s journey in the union was marked by decades of service. He began as Branch Chairman of the NUT in Kaduna South Local Government Area, later rising to become the state secretary. His leadership extended beyond the teaching profession, as he served as Chairman of the NLC Kaduna State Council for eight years, where he became a strong voice for workers’ welfare and rights.
For Amba, the loss was deeply personal. He recounted their friendship that began in 1999 when he was branch secretary and Ango was branch chairman. “We worked together as comrades, friends and brothers. There was hardly a day we woke up without speaking to each other,” he said, his voice heavy with emotion.
When Amba ascended to national leadership of the NUT, he invited Ango to join the national secretariat in Abuja as Deputy Secretary-General. Ango accepted the call and, true to his character, served with distinction until his final days.
Even in the weeks leading to his death, Ango’s commitment never wavered. Barely three weeks earlier, he had returned from an international assignment in Zanzibar. Despite the fatigue of travel, he still attended a National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, a testament to his dedication to the union’s mission.
“We have lost a committed comrade. Our prayer is that God forgives his shortcomings and accepts him,” Amba said, offering prayers for the repose of Ango’s soul.
The funeral drew colleagues, friends, and sympathisers from across the country, all united in grief and admiration for a man who gave his life to the service of teachers. Amba expressed gratitude to those who travelled long distances to pay their last respects, urging the public to remember Ango’s family in their prayers.
“The union and his colleagues will continue to stand by the family in this moment of grief,” he assured.
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