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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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Primaries: Aspirants protest imposition of Reps candidates in Adamawa

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Primaries: Aspirants protest imposition of Reps candidates in Adamawa

The Forum of House of Representatives Aspirants of Numan /Demsa/Lamurde Federal Constituency under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa has protested what it described as imposition of candidates in the just concluded primary elections in the state.

Speaking during the peaceful protest in Numan Local Government Area, Adamawa, Vrati Nzonzo, the spokesperson of the Forum said, the committee responsible for the conduct of the exercise and the party officials failed to abide by the rules of the game.

Nzonzo said the rules for electing candidates were through consensus or direct primaries but stressed that none of the rules were observed.

According to him, with what happened, their mandate was stolen and given to someone who did not deserve the candidacy.

“The election was supposed to be Consensus or Direct primaries but we opposed the consensus and there were no direct primaries across the Constituency”, he said.

PNzonzo called on the National Chairman APC and Governor Ahmadu Fintiri to ensure justice and fairness for the victory of the party else they threatened that they won’t vote for the party at the general elections.

Justina Nkon another aspirant also condemned the conduct of the primary election across the constituency.

According to her, the electorate were at the venue of the primaries from 8:00a.m and no officials showed up until 2:00 p.m and later on they said they had conducted the election without seeing any election materials.

She urged Fintiri to live up to the promise he made at the time of his campaign that he would not betray the people in the state.

“It’s now under your watch as the leader of the party we are witnessing the undemocratic process of primary elections by enforcing candidates who have not been elected by the people in the Constituency”, she said.

According to her, the so-called primary elections are unconstitutional, hence the need to conduct a free, fair and credible primary elections.

Usoko ken-Supule, another aspirant, demanded justice and fairness for every aspirant and for the progress of the party in the constituency, state and the country at large.
“We want justice for the progress of the party and without fairness there is no progress, therefore we are respectful party loyalists.

“We are not happy in view of what happened and we are disappointed; we are calling on the party leadership and the state governor to consider the plight of the masses”, he said.

Primaries: Aspirants protest imposition of Reps candidates in Adamawa

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Zulum Assures Immediate Relief Items, Dignified Resettlement of Displaced Persons in Monguno

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Zulum Assures Immediate Relief Items, Dignified Resettlement of Displaced Persons in Monguno

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has assured displaced communities affected by insecurity that the government is working closely with the Nigerian military hierarchy to provide immediate humanitarian and long-term support.

Governor Zulum gave the assurance when he visited displaced persons in Monguno town on Sunday, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to ensuring dignified resettlement back to their ancestral communities.

While at the IDP camp, the governor interacted directly with displaced families as women, children and elderly residents gathered around him while he listened to their concerns.

“We have examined the situation critically alongside the hierarchy of the Nigerian military, and it has been concluded that we shall provide immediate humanitarian support to these displaced communities, especially in the areas of water, shelter, and sanitation,” Zulum stated.

“Apart from this, we shall also ensure that medium and longer-term sustainable solutions are being adopted, which is acceptable to this community and their ancestral home,” he said.

“We will improve the living conditions of the displaced persons; we will not allow our citizens to endure such hardship without urgent government intervention.”

He also urged residents to cooperate with security agencies by reporting suspicious movements and activities within their communities, noting that sustaining peace and security requires collective responsibility.

“Security is everybody’s business. Communities must continue to support security agencies with timely and useful information,” the governor stated.

Governor Zulum disclosed that there are over 50,000 returnees in Marte, stressing that plans were underway to facilitate the return of more displaced persons to the town as part of the medium and longer-term solution.

He immediately directed the Secretary to the State Government, the Commissioner for Local Government, the Commissioner for Internal Security, and the Chairman of Marte Local Government Area to work out the modalities for implementing the recommendations adopted.

The governor sympathized with the people affected by the recent insecurity and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting them.

As part of the visit, Governor Zulum also met with health workers at the Monguno Eye Hospital, commending them for continuing to provide medical services despite difficult working conditions and limited resources. He announced financial support to improve their welfare and encourage greater commitment to healthcare delivery in the area.

The governor also visited the Commanding Officer of Forward Operation Base (FOB) Mairari for a security brief.

Governor Zulum was accompanied by the Senator representing Borno North, Senator Mohanmed Tahir Monguno; Speaker of Borno State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulkarim Lawan, Member Representing Marte, Monguno, Nganzai, Hon. Bukar Talba, Secretary to the state government, Bukar Tijani, Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, Commissioner for Local Government and Emirate Affairs, Hon. Sugun Mai Mele, alongside other government officials.

Zulum Assures Immediate Relief Items, Dignified Resettlement of Displaced Persons in Monguno

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Troops Discover Illegal Refinery Site in Rivers Forest

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Troops Discover Illegal Refinery Site in Rivers Forest

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of 103 Battalion operating under the Joint Task Force South-South Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) have discovered an illegal refining site in the Orashi National Forest in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Military sources said the operation was conducted between 10:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. on May 15, 2026, as part of ongoing anti-illegal bunkering operations in the Niger Delta region.

According to the sources, troops uncovered an illegal refining site containing one large drum oven, one reservoir, one large coolant, two receivers, two waste pits, and two galvanised pipes measuring about 50 metres each.

The site was suspected to have been used for the illegal processing of stolen crude oil and petroleum products.

The sources said the discovered items were handled in accordance with operational directives of Operation Delta Safe.

Security authorities reiterated their commitment to sustaining operations against crude oil theft, illegal refining activities and economic sabotage across the Niger Delta region.

Troops Discover Illegal Refinery Site in Rivers Forest

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