Yakubu Busari Jos
Compatriots, friends and politicians gathered at the Lantang mini-stadium to mark the fifth anniversary of the passing of Solomon Daushep Lar, former governor of Plateau State and one-time Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP with a call on the state government to rename the state university after him.
The Chairman of the foundation held at Langtang mini -stadium, Hon Samuel Mafuyai eulogied late Lar as one great politician who live for betterment of citizens.
Mafuyai solicited the cooperation of all asundry that proactive steps should be taken towards supporting Lar’s foundation to enable it sustain his legacies.
The Chairman reiterated the need to immortalise him by renaming Plateau State University Bokkos Solomon Daushep Lar University.
He said; ”I call on the Plateau State government under the able leadership of Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong to kindly revisit the issues surrounding the naming of Plateau State University, Bokkos as Solomon Daushep Lar University as a mark of respect to leadership late Solomon Daushep Lar”.
“We are therefore appealing to the state government to reconsider its decision of naming of the university after the late icon. The Plateau State government should take a cue from Kano State which named their state university after their renown orator, Alhaji Maitama Sule by enacting an enabling law to that effect,” he said.
The Jonah Jang administration had in December 2013 renamed the university after Lar at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, where his remains was formally received on arrival from London. But till date nothing has changed in the university to that effect .
In her remarks, former Plateau State Deputy Governor and now Chairman of the Board of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Pauline Tallen, said apart from being father to all, the late Lar had the fear of God in him and enjoined the people to do everything with the fear of God, including politics.
She described him as a detrabilised Nigerian who was friendly to all irrespective of gender, class, tribe or religion, adding that all hands must be on deck to ensure that his foundation survives.
In his goodwill message, the chairmanship candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Lantang North Local Government Area, Comrade Laven Ubandoma Joshua, said Lar took transformational politics with great seriousness and that he was people-centered as well as a symbol of unity to the entire country.
Joshua, who acknowledged that he was mentored by Lar, said his foundation has already built goodwill and advancement in several areas in many communities since his demise.
Highlights of the event, which was well attended with the stadium filled to capacity, includes march past by women and different groups, music and entertainment, lectures/goodwill messages, playlet, launching of magazine about Lar, among other things.
