A renowned Bauchi based politicians Honourable Aminu Tukur Duguryal has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to declared January, 15th of every year as “Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Day”.
In an exclusive interview with our correspondent at his farm in Bauchi, Aminu Tukur, said if there’s any day to celebrate democracy in Nigeria it should ba a day Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was assassinated.
Tukur, who was a former Bauchi State House of Assembly representing Tafawa Balewa Local Government for two consecutive tenure as well as two term elected Local Government Chairman
asserted that if Chief Manshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO Abiola) who contested for an election which he was denied by the then military regime based on certain interest against the National interest, but every Nigerians believed that MKO Abiola won the Presidential Elections of 12th June, 1993 and later died in the strogle as a political matyre.
Aminu, who pointed that the previous administration of President Muhammadu Buhari saw reason by that day as Democracy day to immotalizing the struggles of late chief MKO Abiola which was now being celebrated every year in the country. What more of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa who stood firmly and struggle for the independence of Nigeria and was brutally murdered on January 15th 1966 alongside other national figures on those days during free independence day and became the 1st prime minister of Nigeria which occupied the seat not less than eight years.
However, Nigerians believed that he was elected in1957 and re-elected on October 1st, 1960 and became the 1st prime minister of Nigeria until the period of his brutal assersination on the 15th June, 1966.
Tukur further revealed that, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa lived and worked for the betterment of Nigerians. He also represented Nigeria at different international events including the United Nations. Adding that Tafawa has that recognitions globally which in some other countries still recognised and respect his contributions.
He observed that those to first recognise and honour the late Prime Minister are his sons the Bauchi and Gombe people to respect and honoured this gentle man, by extention anybody that cames from the north and anybody that’s a true Nigeria and Africa should see the father figure the late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. But unfortunately, this gentleman has nothing in his name from the federal government to recognition him because there is no any day set aside to immotilized him in the country.
Tukur argued that if someone who has not even been sworn inn as President of Nigeria and be recognised a national work free day in the interest of Democracy, I believed there should be any other Day rather than the very day that the late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa that was assasinated. And Tafawa should also be celebrated in such a way that to be a remembrance day of our fallen Heroes and should not be a merry making affairs but subber day in the history of the Nigerian democracy alone side with armed forces remenbrance day.
Tukur also advised that “Why can we not convinced the Tafawa Balewa day and Armed forces remembrance and celebrate it together to make it excellent and qualitative leadership day.
According to him “apart from the superficial recognitions such as Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, International Airport and Stadium been named after him in Bauchi, added that there used to be a street named after Tafawa, while he was alive the street started from Eagle Road – About (State Hotel) to Dass Park to ATBU Yelwa within Bauchi metropolis.
Citing an example, Tukur pointed out that “A road that started from Wunti Market Round About coming up to Police Officers Mess was officially the Ahmadu Bello Way, that named of the road is still being retained. While late Prime minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa is no longer in existence. Saying that “even the Government House adjacent to the street is not being recognisined, that’s very unfortunate most of government and private institutions and are no longer recognising the street.
He stressed by either nomenclature, ethics and by the law of state, the remains Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa way, and nothing other than Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, unfortunately the name has changed. That, this is abnormal, Aminu emphasized.
He recalled that 2007 and discovered a new signed board was erected changing the name of the street from the late prime ministers’ name to Olesegum Obasanjo Way, as a State lawmaker then he raised the question on public matter of importance on the flow of the house as to why the name Street name was changed. The house unanimously agreed with the with me and immediately ordered all the relevant authorities to appear before the house for explanation over the sudden change of the name of our beloved father.
He explained that in an effort to immotilized Tafawa Balewa in the year 2013 on 15th January we arranged a lecture for late prime minister but where felt woofly nobody was there just because the wife of then sitting President was coming to the State for official visit, same thing was happened this year.
