By Thompson ABISOLA
A former President of Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Alhaji Abbul-Ganiyu Abdul-Razaq, a on Monday described the late Brig.-Gen. David Bamigboye, the first Military Governor of Kwara, as a “purposeful administrator.’’
Abdul-Razaq, the first Commissioner for Finance in Kwara, in a statement in Lagos, lauded Bamigboye for laying the foundation for a modern state.
According to the Mutawalli of Ilorin, and Tafida of Zaria, the death of the former military governor was a personal loss to him.
“It is with a deep sense of personal loss that I commiserate with Bamigboye’s family of Omun-Aran, Kwara State on the passing away of their son, the first military governor of Kwara State.
“I had the distinct privilege of serving as the first Commissioner of Finance (later Health) from 1967 to 1972 in the Kwara State Executive Council under the leadership of Gov. David Bamigboye.
“In my personal and official relationship with him, he exhibited sterling qualities of an officer and gentleman in the finest traditions of the military.
“He was a determined, disciplined and purposeful administrator who inspired the cabinet and civil service to perform optimally.
“He laid the foundations of the new Kwara State in 1968 by establishing a new civil service and most of the basic institutions of state that stand till date,’’ Abdulrazaq, a nonagenarian said.
He listed some of the achievements as State Secretariat, Kwara Polytechnic, State House, Kwara Herald, Kwara Hotel as well as basic infrastructure such as intra state road networks, specialist hospitals, water and rural infrastructure in major towns.
He said that what was really remarkable about Bamigboye was that he was the Governor of Kwara at the age of 28 and performed very well.
“He will be deeply missed. May his soul rest in perfect peace and I pray his family the fortitude to bear this sad loss,’’ Abdul-Razaq, the first Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) from Northern Nigeria added.
Bamigboye, who was the pioneer military governor of Kwara from May 1967 to July 1975, died on Friday, Sept. 21, at the age of 78 in Lagos after a brief illness.
