…. Governor Abdulrazaq Honors First Lady, Ex-Gov Bamigboye, Rashidi Yekini, Others
Kwara State Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has announced the naming of several legacy projects after prominent historic figures and leaders, both past and present. The move is aimed at recognizing their contributions to the state and the nation at large.
Among the honorees is Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, after whom the multibillion-naira Civil Service Clinic project is being named. The clinic, currently undergoing reconstruction, will be transformed into a state-of-the-art multistory health facility. Senator Tinubu is scheduled to perform the groundbreaking ceremony during her official visit to Kwara State from January 28 to 30, 2025.
During her visit, the First Lady will also inaugurate other significant projects, including the Unity Flyover, the ultramodern Intensive Care Unit, the Executive Ward, and the Gen. Tunde Idiagbon Flyover. The road leading to the flyover has been renamed Tafawa Balewa Road in honor of Nigeria’s former Prime Minister, who was killed in the January 1966 military coup.
In addition, Governor Abdulrazaq has approved the naming of the ICT Centre at Kwara State University of Education after former Minister Amina Ndalolo, a prominent figure from Kwara North. The Executive Ward at the Kwara State Teaching Hospital will bear the name of the late Dr. Amuda Aluko, a renowned physician and politician.
The first state secretariat has been renamed the Brigadier General David Bamigboye Secretariat in honor of the first military administrator of the old Kwara State, while the new secretariat will be named after Rear Admiral Muhammed Alabi Lawal, who governed the state from 1999 to 2003.
The Kwara State Stadium Complex will now be known as the Major-General George Agbazika Innih Stadium Complex, recognizing his contributions to the state. The main bowl of the stadium has been named after the late Rashidi Yekini, Nigeria’s football legend and the country’s highest goal scorer, who famously scored Nigeria’s first World Cup goal.
Other notable facilities and their honorees include:
Table Tennis Arena: Named after Atanda Musa (Manza Musa), a national champion in 1979.
Indoor Sports Hall: Named after Gabriel Babatunde Ladipo, the first black principal of the Government Technical Training School Ilorin and regarded as the father of sports in the state.
Squash Court: Named after Coach Bolakale Mogaji, the executive chairman of the Kwara State Sports Commission and a pioneer in squash.
KFA Academy: Named after Coach Usuman Adenuja, the first football coach to lead the Kwara Academicals to the finals of an academical football competition.
The stadium’s hostels have also been renamed:
Hostel A: Named after Salihu Ishola, the first Kwaran Commonwealth Games medalist.
Hostel B: Named after Paralympic badminton bronze medalist Bolaji Eniola.
Hostel C: Named after Bola Esan, the first female director of sports in the state.
Governor Abdulrazaq’s decision to name these projects after distinguished individuals reflects his administration’s commitment to honoring the legacy of those who have contributed to the development of Kwara State and Nigeria as a whole.
