By  Suzan Edeh
BAUCHI—The family Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, has accused the Bauchi State government of neglect.

According to the family, the government does not accord it the privileges it enjoyed from past governments in the state.

Eldest son of the late Nigerian leader, Yakubu Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, spoke out on Saturday when a Community Based Organization, CBO, in the state, Save Bauchi State Organization, SABSO, paid the family a visit in Bauchi, as part of activities to mark this year’s independence day anniversary.

He said: “Balewa’s children and those of other founding fathers of the country deserve recognition, support and assistance, not only from their state governments but also from the Federal Government, considering the sacrifices made by their parents in building the nation during their lifetimes.

“We’ve been neglected by the state government and it is unfair, considering the role Tafawa Balewa played in uniting the north-east and the nation as a whole.”

He, however, expressed gratitude to the organization for the visit, disclosing that they were the first people who came to show solidarity and celebrate the independence day anniversary with them this year.

Earlier in his speech, chairman of the group, Zaharaddeen Baban Takko, said the history of Nigeria’s independence or democracy would be incomplete without mentioning the late Prime Minister, his contemporaries as well as acknowledging their selfless services to the nation.

He explained that the organization was established in 2011 with the objective of rendering charity and humanitarian services to less privileged people in the state, adding that they assisted many patients in hospitals and in mates in the state’s prisons during the last Sallah festival with cows and food items.