By Ibrahim Hassan, Kaduna

Three years after the death of the Second Republic Governor of old Kaduna State, AbdulKadir Balarabe Musa, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, the National Chairman of the People’s Redemption Party Falalu Bello, Issa Aremu and others have called on the authorities to name the Kaduna International Airport after the late elder statesman.

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi was represented by the party’s campaign spokesman, Dr Yunusa Tanko at the 3rd Memorial lecture for Balarabe Musa in Kaduna, said the late Balarabe Musa represented their genuine political aspiration with integrity and value.

“We request the Federal government to announce the Kaduna International Airport as Balarabe Musa International airport and Kaduna state should name the Silver Jubilee  Luguad roundabout with an effigy of him put on the roundabout as our struggle point for the poor to be called Dabdalin Mallam Balarabe Musa”, he said.

The Director General of the Michael Imodu National Institute of Labour Studies (MINILS), Issa Aremu had also in an eulogy titled ‘Alhaji Balarabe Musa At Times Like This’, said that Balarabe Musa was the first democratically elected Governor of Kaduna state who implemented decent work agenda favoured by International Labour Organization ( ILO).

“He was our father, grandfather ( Baba) and mentor. We miss him a great deal! 3 years like 30 years! May Allah make his grave comfortable and grant him Aljanat Firdaus,” Aremu said.

 Aremu explained “I  bring warm greetings of remembrance from the two Ministers of Employment and Labour, namely His Excellency Simon Lalong and Mrs Nkiruka Onyejeocha. Greetings of solidarity also from the management and staff of Micheal Imodu National Institute for Labour Studies ( MINILS) in Ilorin.’

“Both late Pa Imodu,] number 1 Labour man who died in 2005 at the age of 103 and Alhaji Balarabe were political associates and comrades. They were nationalists who fought for independence. They were revolutionary democrats who believed that democracy was the road to good governance and socialism. They all fought military dictatorships. They were progressives who fought for equitable distribution of national wealth, and shunned corruption and greed! They stood firmly for the Talakawa despite harassment and persecution including impeachment from office in the case of Alhaji Balarabe Musa.”

While calling for a post-humous honour for Balarabe Musa, Aremu explained that Balarabe was the first democratically elected Governor of Kaduna state to implement a Decent Work agenda favoured by the International Labour Organization ( ILO).

” He together with Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, then governor of Kano state were the first to declare May Day in 1981. They were also the first to implement the minimum wage.  I am happy that Governor Uba Sani is emulating Baba in terms of being friendly with Labour. “

“We are marking the 40th Anniversary of MINILS this year. MINILS was commissioned in 1983 by the late President Shehu Shagari. As part of the anniversary activities, we are conferring post humour Fellowships of the National Institute for LABOUR studies (fails) on Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi and former President Shehu Shagari in December for their commitment to decent work for Nigerian workers.”

“I have been privileged to engage with Alhaji Balarabe for over forty years as a student, journalist and trade union activist (almost in that order). He was a good friend and enthusiastic supporter of my former Union; Textile Workers Union.”

“He was my political mentor as a budding progressive politician with amazing memory and recollections. Alhaji Balarabe in 2019 in Kaduna was the first to endorse my Labour Party ( LP) candidature for Kwara State governorship (in his words “99%, but would have been 100 % if you are contesting under PRP platform.”

“Nigeria, Africa and the progressive world had lost an audacious principled selfless statesman. He commendably stood for good principles in governance. His house was ever wide open to all 24/7! He was also s philosopher statesman, an avid reader and an intellectual debater.”

“The struggle of Alhaji Balarabe and many of his compatriots was for an inclusive better Nigeria, Africa and a progressive world. Alh. Balarabe Musa undoubtedly epitomized the best of values that you can get among the best of the past (and contemporary?) African leaders, include Late Aminu Kano, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Nelson Mandela, Patrice Lumumba, Kwame Nkrumah and Sekou Tuore. The best honour to the late statesman is for Nigeria’s ruling class to reinvent politics of principles and  sustainable development.”

“Alhaji Balarabe was a good friend and comrade of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu! Indeed during his campaign, Tinubu was here in Kaduna to see the family of Baba. What would be the stand Baba at times like this? Baba would have been excited today that his friend is the 5th democratically elected President in this dispensation. If Baba were alive he would have called on all of us to support  Tinubu Renewed Hope 8-point Agenda and deepen democracy!”

At the late Balarabe Musa 3rd Memorial lecture in Kaduna were dignitaries including the PRP National Chairman, Alhaji  Falalu Bello and other party faithful.