SUNRISE NEWS, Abuja, July 27, 2020 Nigeria’s prominent nationalists and hero figures yesterday had the new railway stations dotting the two emerging standard gauge lines of Lagos-Ibadan and Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri named after them by President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement titled Buhari names Railway Stations After Prominent Nigerians and signed by the Ministry of Transportation’s Director, Press and Public Relations, Mr Eric Ojiekwe, among prominent Nigerians named after the modern railway stations are the former and present Vice Presidents, Premiers of the defunct Western Region, military administrators, of Lagos and mid-Western State (present day Edo) past and present governors of Ogun and Lagos States, and nationalist leaders.
Prominent among other Nigerians who got some of the stations named after them was the former governor of Lagos State and leading light of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who got the Apapa Station named after him.
Late elderstatesman and former Lagos State military administrator Mobolaji Johnson, (Ebute-Metta Station) and former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, (Agege Station), Alhaji Lateef Jakande (Agbado Station), while the Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo had the Kajola Station (where the CCECC proposed to assembly coaches and wagons) named after him.
Nobel Laureate and Nigeria’s literary giant Prof Wole Soyinka had the Abeokuta Station named after him, former Ogun State Governor Aremo Olusegun Osoba (Olodo Station), Late Premier of the defunct Western Region Chief Ladoke Akintola (Omi Adio Station), while Akintola’s predecessor in office and leader of the Action Group, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, had the Ibadan Station named after him.
The late second republic Vice President Dr Alex Ekwueme, had the Operations Control Centre named after him, while the first civilian governor of Kwara State Alhaji Adamu Attah, had the Itakpe Station named after him.
Leader of the Senate in the second Republic and Kwara Strongman Dr Olusola Saraki was named after the Ajaokuta Station, the Chief of General Staff (the defector Military President) late Admiral Augustus Aikhomu had Itogbo Station, Late Brig-Gen George Innih had the Agenebode Station, while the Uromi Station was named after the nationalist Chief Anthony Eromosele Enahoro, Flamboyant politician Chief Tom Ikimi had his name after the Ekehen Station while late Brig-Gen Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia had the Igbanke Station named after him.