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A socio-political group in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to name the Finance House in Abuja, the Federal Capital Terrority of the nation, after late Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh.
The group, Niger Delta Youths for Development, made this call in Asaba, the Capital of Delta state at the weekend.
“Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh was the architect of the Nigerian economy; he was the first Labour Minister and then the first Finance Minister, who established the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and employed of the first governor of CBN.
“He created the first Nigeria currency, he established the Nigerian mint and Nigeria Stock Exchange; created the Koko Sea Port, brought Julius Berger, Chevron Nigeria, Custain Lagos, McDermott; and with his political influence, he single handedly created the Mid-west region.
“But despite all these great contribution by Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh of blessed memory, the Federal Government has not immortalized him,” said spokesman of the group, Charles Eyimofe Pemu.
Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, the Ogwa of Warri Kingdom, popularly known as Omimi-Ejoh then, was killed in the January 15, 1966 coup during the administration of Tafawa Balewa. Until his death, Chief Okotie-Eboh had a very stylish and sophisticated personality.
Meanwhile, Reuben Abati, Nigeria’s leading public affairs commentator and a media professional, and also Former President Jonathan’s aide, has taken to his Twitter handle to remember the late Chief, stressing that late Chief Okotie-Eboh, who was killed exactly today in history, was a victim of “the coup of the January boys” in Nigeria.
#Jan. 15, 1966: Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh (1919-1966), victim of "the coup of the January boys" in Nigeria. #thisdayinhistory pic.twitter.com/SJfvJ8uqs7
— Reuben Abati (@abati1990) January 15, 2017
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Pemu said the likes of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Sir Ahmadu Bello, and among others have been immortalized by the Federal Government, and saw no reason why Okotie-Eboh, who has contributed immensely to the growth and development of Nigeria, cannot be honoured the same way.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abuja is named after Tafawa Balewa, there’s Ahmadu Bello Way in Abuja, Ladoke Akintola Way in Abuja and some others have been immortalized but, can’t the Federal Government rename the Finance House after Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, the Omimi-Ejoh of Africa?” Pemu queried.
Pemu said that though Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh is dead and gone, his legacy lives on, stressing that the life of the Nigerian political juggernaut is worthy to be immortalized and emulated.