Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Abdul Aziz Yar’Adua, has commended President Bola Tinubu for immortalising the late military officer and pro-democracy advocate, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, by renaming the Institute of Petroleum Studies, Kaduna, after him.
The institution is now known as the General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology.
The decision, which has drawn commendations from the Yar’Adua family and political associates of the late statesman, is being viewed as a significant national recognition of one of Nigeria’s most influential political figures whose contributions to democratic development continue to resonate decades after his death.
Reacting to the development yesterday in a statement, Senator Yar’Adua, who represents Katsina Central Senatorial District, expressed profound appreciation to President Tinubu and the federal government for what he described as a historic honour bestowed on his late brother.
According to the Senator, the renaming of the institution transcends the symbolic act of placing a name on a public facility and represents a national acknowledgement of General Yar’Adua’s enduring legacy in nation-building, democratic advocacy and public service.
He noted that the late military leader distinguished himself as a soldier, statesman and democrat who remained committed to strengthening institutions and promoting a Nigeria founded on merit, patriotism and equal opportunity.
Yar’Adua said the decision would ensure that future generations of students passing through the institution would continually be reminded of the values that defined the late general’s life, including sacrifice, visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to national development.
He stressed that the new university would serve not only as a centre of academic excellence but also as a lasting monument to the ideals of leadership and service that General Yar’Adua championed throughout his lifetime.
The lawmaker further stated that students pursuing careers in geology, engineering and technological innovation at the institution would draw inspiration from the late statesman’s example and contributions to Nigeria’s political evolution.
General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua remains one of the most prominent figures in Nigeria’s political history. Widely respected across regional and political divides, he played key roles in both military administration and the country’s transition towards democratic governance.
