Right in the heart of Bauchi City is the tomb of Nigeria’s first and only Prime Minister, late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. The magnificent edifice was structurally designed to embody his life’s tales within the context of the nation’s history. His remains lie in a grave surrounded by a colourful wall which represents Nigeria’s multi-ethnicity.
Some of his personal effects – bed, rain boots, television, radio-set, chairs – are on display in the tomb’s museum.
Recently, for the first time, a memorial lecture and special prayers were held by the Bauchi State Government in Balewa’s honour.
Balewa was assassinated on January 15, 1966, during Nigeria’s first attempted military coup. The brutal murder precipitated the civil war that transformed the country’s political history.
The State Government is also sponsoring a legislative bill that seeks to make January 15th a day set aside to honour Balewa.
The State’s Commissioner of Culture and Tourism, Modibbo Mohammed, believes the labour of past heroes like Balewa should be sung eternally.
“He was a complete gentleman,” Mohammed told Channels TV. “He is someone that the whole country is proud of. He is one of those that kept his life in a simple manner.
“Some of his contemporaries were so flamboyantly advertised but Bauchi, unfortunately, has not been able to do that. But now it has come to stay and we have started. And not because we are copying anybody, but because this is the time that God has ordained it to happen. So it’s a great achievement.”
Danlami Babatanko, who wrote a book about Balewa, said he wanted to revive the late leader’s legacy of hard work, honesty, transparency and patriotism.
“I believe he symbolised these fine qualities,” Babatanko said. “Especially transparency. He died and left office without having mansions, without having a fleet of cars. And he was hard-working in the sense that he devoted his entire life to the progress of Nigeria. He was also a nationalist, a patriotic citizen, in the sense that I remember very well that his best friend in the country during his lifetime was Dr. Moses Majekodunmi, a Yoruba man from the west.”
Balewa’s Grandson, Abubakar, told Channels TV that it was necessary to celebrate the Prime Minister in death in order to show to the current leaders that they will still be remembered for the legacies even after they are no more. “People can still bring up your records and see whether you have done good or bad,” he said.
Balewa’s eldest son, 75-year-old Yakubu Balewa, said his memories of his father remind him of a man who was humble, kind and taught others to be the same. “He gave us a way of respecting each and everyone,” he said.
The National Union of Bauchi State Students (NUBASS) also took to the streets to celebrate Balewa. “We march today in honour and in remembrance of our legend,” President of the NUBASS chapter in the state, Adamu Musa, said.
