President Tinubu has approved the renaming of the Institute of Petroleum Studies in Kaduna as the General Shehu Yar’Adua University of Geological Sciences and Engineering Technology.
Tinubu approved the development stating that Shehu, older brother of former President, Umar Yar’adua, to recognize his contributions towards national unity, democratic development and inclusive politics.
The country’s head, during his Democracy Day address on Friday, lauded the late military officer’s vision of national partnership, describing Yar’Adua as one of the architects of modern democratic Nigeria.
Furthermore, he said that the honour reflects the government’s commitment to preserving the legacies of Nigerians who made significant sacrifices in the struggle for democracy.
Also, the President paid tribute to other heroes of the June 12 movement, including Moshood Abiola and several pro-democracy activists, journalists, labour leaders and political figures whose efforts contributed to the restoration of civilian rule.
Shehu served as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters under the military administration of former Head of State Olusegun Obasanjo from 1976 to 1979, later becoming a prominent political figure, later founding the influential People’s Front, a political movement that played a major role during Nigeria’s transition to democratic rule.
Also widely known for advocating a broad-based national political movement that cut across ethnic, religious and regional lines, he was imprisoned by the military regime of the late General Sani Abacha over an alleged coup plot and died in detention in 1997.