News
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.
News
International Police Academy – UNIPOL Appoints Joseph Icha, as Director International Counter Narcotics Training Nigeria Section
International Police Academy – UNIPOL Appoints Joseph Icha, as Director International Counter Narcotics Training Nigeria Section
By: Bodunrin Kayode
The international Police Academy (UNIPOL) has Appointed Deputy Commander General (DCG) Joseph Icha,
Director Training and Manpower Development, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) as Director International Counter Narcotics Training Nigeria Section.
A statement from the academy’s management stated that “the academy proudly announces the appointment of
DCG Joseph Icha, Director Training and Manpower Development, NDLEA as Director International Counter Narcotics Training Nigeria Section.
“This appointment recognizes
DCG Joseph Icha, Director Training and Manpower Development, NDLEA. exceptional contributions to national security, law enforcement leadership, and international cooperation.”
Icha has served the Agency in various Senior Management capacities as Principal Staff Officer, Assistant State Commander, Assistant Director, State Commander, and Deputy Director among others, with commendations.
The new international counter narcotics boss has attended several law enforcement courses on Drug Supply Suppression and Drug Demand Reduction within and outside the country.
“He is a Master Trainer with the United Nations Office of Drug and Crime (UNODC) in Drug Law Enforcement intelligence led investigation strategies and Criminal Intelligence. ” said the statement.
Joseph Icha has facilitated training programmes on behalf of UNODC to various law enforcement agencies in the country.
DCG Joseph Icha is a Law Enforcement Operative, mentor, curriculum designer, and advisor per excellence.
He is also a member of several international professional Organizations and currently is the Director Training and Manpower Development of NDLEA.
This important appointment was pronounced under the leadership of Dr. Alexander Jan M (Hany El Zahar), Executive Director, Founder, and CEO of the International Police Academy – UNIPOL, and IPA President (Rtd.) Senior Superintendent of Police Shuaib Adam HSC OLY VJ, International Director of Law Enforcement, Police, and Military, with the support of Prof. Yuval Binstoc (IPA) and Sir Junustia Brecen.
International Police Academy – UNIPOL Appoints Joseph Icha, as Director International Counter Narcotics Training Nigeria Section
Plateau State Complied with the deadline for 2024 Audited financial Reports…. Manset
By: Bodunrin Kayode
Plateau State Accountant General Naanret Manset has said that it was not true that Plateau state has refused to comply with the deadline given to states for the submission of 2024 audited financial statements.
Reacting to a report published recently, the accountant general in a statement noted that “the attention of the Office of the Accountant-General of Plateau State has been drawn to a publication by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) titled ‘It’s Past Deadline, 5 States Fail to Publish 2024 Financial Statements’, which wrongly lists Plateau State as one of the defaulters.”
Naanret Manset maintained that “For the record, Plateau State fully complied with all statutory timelines for the preparation, audit, and publication of its 2024 audited financial statements
“Submitted same to the Auditor-General in May, 2025 which is within the stipulated period of 6 months.
“Audit completed in June, 2025 and forwarded to the House of Assembly which is also within the stipulated period of 3 months.
“Approved by the House of Assembly
Published online on 27 July 2025, below the legal timeline of 9 months.
The audited report is publicly available here:
“We urge FIJ to promptly correct their publication and remove Plateau State from the list of non-compliant states.
Plateau State remains committed to transparency, accountability, and timely financial reporting.” It noted.
The FIJ had recently published that six Nigerian states are yet to publish their audited financial statements for the 2024 fiscal year.
It revealed that five of such erring states have already past their statutorily implied deadlines which Plateau is saying is not true as it applies to them.
The publication had said that ” erring states are Akwa Ibom, Kaduna, Ogun, Oyo, Plateau and Rivers.
“In Akwa Ibom’s case, its amended 2021 audit law gives the auditor general up to nine months to publish the report online after submitting it to the House of Assembly.
“The Accountant General has six months to present the books, followed by a 90-day audit and submission period.
” In the other five states, audit laws differ in the year they were enacted or updated, but the process is similar.
“The Accountant General must submit the financial documents to the audit office within three months after the financial year ends.
” The Auditor General is then required to audit the report, send it to the House of Assembly and publish it immediately.
“The Ogun State Audit Law (2021), Rivers State Audit Law (2021, as amended), Akwa Ibom State Audit Law (2021), Oyo State Audit Commission Law (2021) and Plateau State Audit Law (2021) all set out these requirements.
” In Rivers, however, publishing the audit is left to the discretion of the Auditor General.
“In past years, these states have published their audits between June and August. Some have also been ranked among the lowest in transparency.
” The CJID Openness Index, released in July 2024, placed all six in the bottom tier along with 10 others.”
Recently, FIJ reported Akwa Ibom’s repeated disregard for budgetary transparency despite binding provisions in its Fiscal Responsibility Law.
The FIJ report maintained that two states Yobe and Ekiti, scored above average for transparency and accountability in 2024, with 73 per cent and 54 per cent, according to the Sub national Audit Efficacy Index, published by the Paradigm Leadership Initiative.
The report noted that the annual assessment, which measures financial transparency and policy adoption across Nigeria’s state governments, shows a familiar trend: “stagnation or decline.”
Plateau State Complied with the deadline for 2024 Audited financial Reports…. Manset
Prof. Ribah clarifies stance on dialogue, says he does not support ransom or levies to bandits
…cautions against misrepresentation of position on dialogue with bandits…
By: Zagazola Makama
Prof. Abubakar Usman Ribah, a peace advocate and member of the Peace Committee, has cautioned social media users against misrepresenting his views on dialogue with bandits as a strategy for sustaining peace in the troubled North West Zone.
Ribah, in a video made available to newsmen on Wednesday, said his comments on dialogue had been twisted and circulated on Facebook, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), in ways that fuel misunderstanding and hostility.
He urged users to “fear God and stop changing the narrative to suit their own views,” stressing that selective quoting of his remarks was misleading and unfair.
“Social media users should fear God and stop changing the narrative that goes contrary to our own views. You are quoting a segment that suits your narratives, leaving out the rest, and continue to circulate it. That is misrepresentation,” Ribah said.
He explained that his position on dialogue was not in support of paying levies or ransoms to bandits but in favour of a government-led engagement that addresses the root causes of the conflict.
“We believe that fighting with guns only prolongs crises. For 10 years, it has not yielded results, and that is why we wanted to end it through dialogue.
“And the dialogue we are seeking is not the one where villagers go on their own to negotiate with bandits, pay levies in order to farm, or pay ransom to release family members. That type of dialogue is not sustainable. It is betrayal.
“The dialogue we support is the one led by government, where authorities can solve the pressing issues between farmers and herders, and address the needs and demands of all conflicting parties,” he said.
Ribah clarified that his advocacy for dialogue predated the current administration and had been consistent for more than seven years.
“This did not start with this government. I have been engaging in dialogue for over seven years. You can go through my pages. War cannot end war, but dialogue will, if both conflicting parties agree. This is what we are talking about,” he said.
The peace advocate dismissed allegations that he and other members of the Peace Committee were shielding or supporting bandits.
“Some are accusing us of supporting bandits, some are accusing us of giving them protection. But how can we protect bandits that are killing people? No way. What we want is to stop the bloodshed, where everyone will be allowed to go about his normal life,” he stressed.
Ribah further accused some social media commentators of being “conflict entrepreneurs,” whom he said benefitted from circulating negative reports of attacks.
“Some people benefit from telling negative stories of attacks. They are conflict entrepreneurs. We want them to focus on telling positive stories instead of dwelling on negativity,” he added.
The North West Zone, particularly Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina States, has for years been plagued by banditry, mass killings, abductions, and forced displacement, with government and stakeholders divided over the most effective approach to peacebuilding.
Prof. Ribah clarifies stance on dialogue, says he does not support ransom or levies to bandits
International Police Academy – UNIPOL Appoints Joseph Icha, as Director International Counter Narcotics Training Nigeria Section
Plateau State Complied with the deadline for 2024 Audited financial Reports…. Manset
Prof. Ribah clarifies stance on dialogue, says he does not support ransom or levies to bandits
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions4 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
Opinions4 years ago
POLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News1 year agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
Columns1 year agoArmy University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
ACADEMICS1 year agoA History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Opinions2 years agoTinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria
-
Politics2 months ago2027: Why Hon. Midala Balami Must Go, as Youths in Hawul and Asikira/Uba Federal Constituency Reject ₦500,000 as Sallah Gift
