Why I want to emulate Awolowo – Al-Makura

Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, of Nasarawa State yesterday, said since he assumed office in 2011, he had been taking after policies and programmes of the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, during his tenure as the Premier of the Western Region.

Al-Makura said what pushed him into politics was to promote egalitarianism, with ordinary people of the state at the centre of developmental programes of his government.

They gave this remark at the Government House, Lafia, while receiving the Management team of the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, publishers of the Tribune titles, led by its Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief, Mr Edward Dickson.

The governor, who hailed the ideologies of our heroes past, urged the current political leaders to take after their leadership lifestyles. “My vision, philosophy, ideology is not different from that of the sage, Chief Awolowo and I’m very sure that with these values, Tribune and the government of Nasarawa State will be partners and they will never be separated,” he said.

He added that, “Chief Awolowo is someone I will like to emulate, because for many years to come, whenever you mention his name in this country, the impression that got to the mind of the people is free education.

“These are some of the values and visions some of us coming behind should emulate, so that our names would be in gold many years after we might have left.”

He commiserated with staff and management of the paper over the death of its publisher, Chief Oluwole Awolowo. Al-Makura prayed God to give the entire Tribune family the fortitude to bear the loss.

Speaking earlier, Mr Dickson said Nigerians were not asking for too much from their leaders than to provide dividends of democracy, particularly good roads, potable water, rural electrification, education, as well as making the impacts of government felt everywhere.

Also on the team were the Editor, Nigerian Tribune, Mr Debo Abdullahi; Editor, Sunday Tribune, Mr Sina Oladeinde; Editor, Saturday Tribune, Mr Lasisi Olagunju and the Regional Editor, Mr Idowu Samuel.

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