President Bola Tinubu has renamed a major petroleum research facility in Kaduna after late General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua. The announcement came during his Democracy Day speech on Friday.
The Institute of Petroleum Studies will now be called the General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology. Tinubu said the decision honours Yar'Adua's role in Nigeria's democratic journey.
According to the president, Yar'Adua was instrumental in shaping Nigeria's transition to civilian rule. He described the late general as a visionary who championed national unity.
"Among the architects of modern democratic Nigeria, we honour General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua for his vision of national partnership," Tinubu stated during the address. He added that the renaming reflects the government's commitment to preserving democratic legacies.
Tinubu explained that the initiative recognises individuals who pushed Nigeria toward democracy. It's part of broader efforts to acknowledge such contributions, he said.
Beyond the renaming, the president announced national honours for over 30 pro-democracy activists and military officers. These recipients played key roles during the June 12 struggle.
Two recipients will be honoured posthumously: Dr Arthur Nwankwo and Ben Charles-Obi. Both men died before seeing this recognition.
Tinubu promised that officials would release the complete list of honourees in coming days. He didn't specify an exact timeline for the announcement.
General Yar'Adua died in December 1997. He'd served as Nigeria's military administrator under Ibrahim Babangida's regime in the 1990s.
The renamed institution is expected to advance geological sciences and engineering research in northern Nigeria. Officials believe it'll strengthen the country's technical capacity.
