Gov Simon Lalong of Plateau has announced that the College of Arts and Remedial Studies, Kurgwi in Qua’pan Local Government Area, would be renamed after Mr Ignatius Longjan, a serving senator, who died recently.
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Lalong announced this on Monday, during a Requiem Mass in honour of Longjan, at St. Louis Catholic Church, Jos.
“The aim is to immortalise the departed senator for the selfless efforts toward a better Plateau when he served as a Senator, Deputy Governor and a diplomat.
“We have started the electrification project he wanted for his constituency. We have installed poles from Chip to Kurgwi,” he said.
He said that Plateau was committed to implementing community Policing to address security challenges, adding that a technical committee had been set up and given one month to submit its report for further action.
The governor condoled the family of the deceased, regretting that the vacuum he created would be difficult to fill.
He thanked the Senate President and his colleagues for the show of concern over the sad incident, saying that their presence in Plateau was an indication that Longjan had a cordial relationship with them.
In his remarks, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, described Longjan as “a humble and peaceful person, who was committed to his duties”.
“I met him (Longjan), in 2019; he was already accomplished as a person and at peace with people, not only in Plateau, but across the country; we have a task to work on his ideals and for his dreams to come true,” he said.
Earlier in his Homily, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese and Apostolic Administrator of Jos Archdiocese, had described Longjan as “a patriotic Nigerian and committed member of the Catholic Church”.
He said that humans were on transit on earth and should live their lives devoid of political rivalry, greed and antagonism, adding that those taking lives should reconsider their actions.
He appealed to the government to repair the dilapidated Jos-Abuja road, revamp the Jos-Abuja rail lines and increase funding for the state government to tackle security challenges in the state.
In his remarks, Mr Peter Dama, who spoke on behalf of the Longjan family, appreciated the state government, political associates, religious leaders and other sympathisers for their support during their moment of grief.
He said that the Senator’s last wish was for peace to reign in Plateau, and the completion of the electrification project in his constituency.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the Senator, who represented Plateau South, died on Feb. 10, after a protracted illness. He was aged 75.
NAN reports that Lawan, his Deputy, Ovie Omo-Agege, the Deputy Speaker, House of Representativess, Ahmed Idris, and former Governor of Imo, Rochas Okorocha, were among those that attended the burial .