By Teryima Andrew
A foundation established recently to keep alive legacies of the first civilian governor of old Plateau state, and the first national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party PDP, late Solomon Daushep Lar, has set in modalities to reawakening Lar legacies, for upcoming generations to also benefit from the experience of the political legend.
Chairman “S.D Lar Foundation” Hon Samuel Mafuyai, in an address at the first ceremony of the posthumous birthday organized by the foundation Monday, held at Langtang stadium in Langtang north, call on spirited individuals and groups across Nigeria to support the foundation, to enable it to promote and preserve legacies of late Emancipator.
Part of Solomon Lar’s legacies that will ever remain fresh in the minds of many Nigerians, is the political Godfather role he played, not just in the middle belt region, but, entire northern Nigeria. His emancipation policy brought back Democratic rule in the country 1999 and has remained, till date.
Hon Mafuyai equally calls on government at all level, non-governmental organizations, philanthropists and the general public too, as a matter of fact, key in, particularly in the areas of health, education and economic empowerment.
“I wish to 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. We feel that the naming of this citadel of learning to immortalize Lar was a step in the right direction which was applauded by many.
“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.
Hon Mafuyai congratulated the Plateau state government for renaming the Plateau state University Bokkos after late Lar, as “Solomon Lar University.”
It will be recalled that the administration of Jonah Jang administration in December 2013 renamed the university after Lar at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja, where his remains were formally received on arrival from London. But till date that had remained a mere declaration as nothing has changed in the university to that effect.
Speaking at the occasion former deputy governor of Plateau State, who is currently the Chairman, Board of directors, 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 and was always enjoined citizens to do the right thing.
Dame Tallen described late Lar as a detribalized Nigeria and one 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 is boosted.
On his part, in a goodwill message, the chairmanship candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Langtang North Local Government Area, Comrade Laven Ubandoma Joshua, said Lar took transformational politics with great seriousness and that he was peoples’-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.
