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Tourism: Stakeholders seek upgrade of Tafawa Balewa’s tomb

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Tourism: Stakeholders seek upgrade of Tafawa Balewa’s tomb

Tourism: Stakeholders seek upgrade of Tafawa Balewa’s tomb

Stakeholders in the tourism sector have advocated the upgrade of the tomb of Nigeria’s sole Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa to attract more visitors.

Some of the stakeholders who spoke in Bauchi said the mausoleum needed total rehabilitation in line with international standards, to make it more attractive to visitors.

Balewa’s tomb is one of the monuments, heavily patronised by tourists in Bauchi State.

It was declared a national monument on Aug. 29, 1979, by the then military administration.

The construction of the tomb and the building enclosing the grave began in 1977 and was inaugurated in July 1979.

Within the enclosure are a reference library, gallery, mosque and grave of the former Nigerian leader, often referred to as the Golden Voice of Africa.

Balewa was born in December 1912 in Bauchi, and started his education at a Qur’anic school in Bauchi town and later attended Katsina College, now (Barewa College).

On completion of his secondary education in 1933, he returned home and started teaching at the Bauchi Middle School where he rose to the position of headmaster in 1941.

In 1944, Balewa went to the University of London’s Institute of Education, and on his return, he was appointed Inspector of Schools.

His political sojourn started in 1946 when he was elected to the Northern Nigeria House of Assembly, and in 1951 elected as the Vice President of the Northern People’s Congress (NPC).

The party nominated Balewa to Lagos as a Member of Parliament in 1952. He was appointed Minister of Works and Transport in the same year.

In 1957 the NPC won the election with the majority of the MPs and Balewa was elected as Prime Minister.

At independence in 1960, Balewa became the Prime Minister of independent Nigeria and was re-elected in 1964. He was killed alongside other prominent Nigerian leaders during the Jan. 15, 1966 coup. 

Mr Mukhtar Baba, a librarian at the mausoleum, said the library and gallery are prone to flooding that submerged the facility during the rainy season due lack of drains.

He said the construction of drains and remedial projects would check perennial flooding in the facility.

The librarian called for the provision of modern gadgets to digitise its operations.

“Provision of IT equipment will transform our operation from analogue to digital which is obtainable across the globe.

“Through digital applications photos and other personal belonging of the late prime minister could be showcased on TV screens and other IT appliances.

“This is imperative to ensure safe keeping and preserve the quality of the items,” he said.

He said it would also enhance awareness creation to educate the people on the facility so as to attract more visitors.

Mohammed Akuyam, a senior tour guide at the tomb, said the edifice was designed to reflect the simple life Balewa lived.

Akuyam said the “darkness greeting visitors’’ at the entrance to the tomb signifies the hardship encountered by Balewa and his colleagues in the struggle to gain independence from the British colonial administration.

He said the light shining through a thin window by the right-hand side after the first darkness, represents rays of hope for the nation to be freed from the colonial administration.

“The second darkness on the corridor to the tomb signifies struggle continues for Nigeria’s independence, while the full brightness illuminating the tomb’s courtyard signifies attainment of Nigeria’s independence in 1960,” he said.

The intercessions on the pathways to the grave reflect the crises and civil disorder that greeted Balewa’s assassination.

On the rough staircase leading to the tomb, Akuyam said, signifies hardship experienced by Nigerians under the colonial administration, while the smooth one symbolises freedom enjoyed after attaining self-rule.

He said: “The colours on the walls of the tomb represent different ethnic groups in Nigeria, and the late Balewa served those interests at heart and tried to unite them as one nation.

“The open roof of the tomb signifies the open-mindedness of the late Prime Minister and the simple life he lived.” 

According to him, the tomb is in good condition and records a high number of visitors, especially students who are on excursions to learn and see some of the personal belongings of the late prime minister.

According to the tour guide, visiting the tomb is free, but adult visitors to the exhibition section (gallery) are charged N100 per head and N50 for children.

He disclosed that over 7,000 students from schools across the country visit the tomb annually.

The tour guide also said that 75 students of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPS), Kuru, Jos, were in the study tower at the tomb in September 2021, while 22 foreign students or tourists also visited the tomb last year.

He listed important personalities that visited the tomb including former President Olusegun Obasanjo on July 16, 1999,

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, in September 2011, and former President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani, and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in May 2022, among others.

Akuyam, however, said that the tomb was renovated in 2012 by the National Commission for Museum and Monuments, while the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) upgraded the gallery.

“All the personal belongings of the late prime minister kept in the gallery are in good condition.

“We have over 20 staff working in the tomb, including guides, cleaners, receptionists as well as auditorium and library personnel.

“The tomb is being managed by the Bauchi State Ministry of Culture and Tourism, while the gallery is under the National Commission for Museum and Monuments,” he said.

Also commenting, Muhammad Yusuf, General Manager, Bauchi State Tourism Board, called for a review of laws governing the control and ownership of the monument to enhance good management of the all-important national asset.

Yusuf said the measure was imperative to fast track upgrade of the tomb to meet international standards, raise tourism potential and attract more visitors.

For his part, Mr Ibrahim Isa, a tourism expert, who corroborated earlier Yusuf, opined that Balewa’s tomb was being maintained effectively by the relevant authorities.

He said the review of the extant laws on such monuments is critical to ensure the protection of tombs of other national heroes. 

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Jos DisCo offers Gombe Staff free medical care, drugs

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Jos DisCo offers Gombe Staff free medical care, drugs

The management of Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDC) has conducted a free medical examinations as well as distributed free drugs to its staff in Gombe State Office, as part of its health advocacy to improve wellbeing of its employees and boost productivity.

As part of JEDC’s health initiative, a fitness walk was also organised on Saturday for all employees in Gombe State.

A fitness coach, Jauro Dauda, who led the walk urged officials of JED to prioritise regular exercise as part of efforts to maintain good health and boost productivity.

The exercise began at the company’s state headquarters, from where officials trekked to Pantami Stadium.

At the stadium, staff members participated in various physical exercises before returning to the office premises for medical examinations.

Speaking to participants, Dauda emphasised the need for a healthy lifestyle through eating nutritious foods and regular exercise.

“For you to function well, you need to keep your body fit. So I advise each and every one of you to create time at home. You can take your wife on a walk.

“The content of what we eat today can cause a lot of health issues like hypertension and diabetes. Knowing your health status is very important; knowing it is good to living long,” he said.

Also speaking, the Gombe State Operating Officer of JEDC, Rilwan Shehu, expressed satisfaction with the turnout and encouraged staff to sustain the culture of exercise beyond organised events.
“We are happy that we can exercise not only in the stadium; you can exercise at home,” Shehu said.

He added that the company operates an inclusive system that promotes unity among staff.

“We in JEDC operate an open-door policy; there is no junior or senior cadre. We do things together and we win together,” he said.

Jos DisCo offers Gombe Staff free medical care, drugs

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Customs officer killed in gun attack after cannabis seizure in Ogun

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Customs officer killed in gun attack after cannabis seizure in Ogun

By: Zagazola Makama

A senior officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), ASC Akinyode Mustapha, has been shot dead by unknown gunmen following the interception of a vehicle loaded with cannabis in Imeko area of Ogun State.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that a team of officers from the NCS Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A, Ikeja, led by DSC Ogundana Oluwademi, had on Feb. 2, at about 11:40 p.m., intercepted a Sienna bus loaded with suspected cannabis at Oke-Agbede via Imeko.

The driver of the vehicle, however, escaped on foot.

“While the team was returning to Lagos with the seized exhibit vehicle, they came under gunfire by unknown assailants at the Immigration checkpoint, Idofa, Imeko,” the sources said.

The sources added that a bullet struck ASC Akinyode Mustapha, aged 50, during the attack.

He was immediately rushed to the General Hospital, Ilaro, where he was later confirmed dead by the medical doctor on duty.

Upon receipt of the report on Feb. 4 at about 3:30 p.m., security forces stormed the scene. No expended ammunition or cartridge was recovered at the location, and photographs of the scene were taken.

The team leader reportedly released the corpse to the deceased’s family for burial, while the seized exhibit vehicle had earlier been taken to the NCS base in Lagos.

The sources said preliminary investigation was ongoing to verify the claims and unravel the circumstances surrounding the attack.

Further developments will be communicated, the command said.

Customs officer killed in gun attack after cannabis seizure in Ogun

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VP Shettima Leads FG Delegation To Condole With Victims Of Kwara Attack

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VP Shettima Leads FG Delegation To Condole With Victims Of Kwara Attack

***Assures all hands are on deck to restore peace, tranquility to Kaiama

***Says President Tinubu has directed NEMA to mobilise resources to support distressed communities

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has reaffirmed the determination of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that peace and tranquillity are restored in Nuku and Woro villages in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State in the aftermath of Tuesday’s attacks on the communities by terrorists.

He assured the people of the communities that while the President had ordered the deployment of a battalion of the Nigerian Army to Kaiama, all hands were already on deck to rid the affected communities and the entire state of insecurity.

Senator Shettima gave the assurance on Saturday when he led a Federal Government delegation to commiserate with the people of Kaiama Local Government and the Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, over the deadly terrorist attack that claimed several lives.

The Vice President disclosed that President Tinubu has instructed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to mobilise all resources, in partnership with the Kwara State Emergency Management Agency, to provide succour and support to the distress communities.

“Your Excellency, we are here at the behest of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to commiserates with you and the good people of Kaiama and Kwara State, by extension, over the tragedy that befell our communities of Woro and Nuku on the evening of Tuesday, February 3, 2026.

“That tragic killings had shocked Nigerians because the victims were peaceful members of the communities that were dedicated to building peaceful livelihood, while they practice their religion in the peaceful and harmonious manner that the injunctions of Islam has instructed,” he said

VP Shettima extended what he described as the heartfelt condolences of President Tinubu and the Federal Government to the government and those who lost their loved ones in the gory attacks, noting that all hands were already on deck to restore peace in the community.

“Please, accept our heartfelt condolences, on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. A battalion of the Nigerian Army had been deployed to Kaiama and all hands are on deck to ensure that peace and tranquility is restored to those communities,” he assured.

The VP did not disclose the measures being taken to restore peace in the area, observing however that “security issues are sensitive issues and we do not have to divulge most of the actions that are being taken by our security establishment.

“But I’m here fundamentally to commiserates with the government and people of Kwara and the people of Kaiama, in particular, over the tragic loss of lives and to reassure the good people of the state of harmony. Our prayers are with you, our empathy is with you,” the Vice President added.

Earlier, Chairman of the North East Governors Forum, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State, extended the condolences and sympathy of the North East Governors to the people and government of Kwara State over the tragedy.

He said, “As Muslims, we believe in destiny and it is our sincere hope that, by God’s grace, this act will not happen again. Our prayers are with you and it is our sincere prayer that Almighty Allah will forgive those that have lost their lives and grant them Aljannah firdaus,” Governor Zulum prayed.

Responding, the Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRazaq, applauded the swift response of the Federal Government to the incident, saying “as confirmed by the Local Government Chairman, troops are already on ground and the Operation Savannah Shield is in motion.

“As you can see, we were welcomed at the airport by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) Second Division of the Nigerian Army. A DIG is on ground. We truly appreciate the response of the Federal Government, and representatives of NEMA have been on ground since the incident happened.”

The Governor called for continued prayers for better a situation and better security in Nigeria, just as he said, “One is short of words and what to say but we will continue to support our President, the Vice President and our leadership for God to guide them in the affairs of this nation.”

Also, the Chairman of Kaiama local government area, Hon. Abdullahi Abubakar Danladi, expressed gratitude to President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima for the immediate deployment of a military battalion in the area, and thanked the Governor of Kwara state for his leadership.

On his part, the Emir of Kaiama, HRH Alhaji Mu’azu Shehu Omar, also applauded President Tinubu for the prompt action taken after the massacre that in Kaiama.

“We really appreciate the effort of President Tinubu. Since the incident happened on Tuesday, he has shown concerned toward us. The security personnel and other relevant agencies are adequately deployed to arrest the situation,” the traditional ruler said.

Other dignitaries present during the visit include the Director-General of NEMA), Zubaida Umar; Sen. Ali Mohammed Ndume; Managing Director, Niger Delta Power Holding Company Ltd (NDPHC), Eng. Jennifer Adighije; former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ovie Omo Agege, and members of Kwara State House of Assembly, among others.

VP Shettima Leads FG Delegation To Condole With Victims Of Kwara Attack

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