However it is, historically, Buhari is not the first Nigeria president to honour presidents of other countries by naming roads after them. Former presidents – Goodluck Jonathan and Olusegun Obasanjo all did the same. And before them was head of state Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.
This week, critics reigned on President Muhammadu Buhari for naming a highway in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city after Niger Republic’s President Mahamadou Issoufou.
Buhari stated that Nigeria-Niger relations are based on a long common border and shared cultural and historical roots over the years.
“Relations between the two countries have, over the years, been very cordial and fraternal. There is a spirit of good neighbourliness between us,” Buhari said during Issoufou’s visit to Abuja on Tuesday.
“Nigeria’s borders with Niger have always been in large part peaceful. There had been no critical border conflicts among the two international locations.”
It changed into a day of alternate of pleasantries and honour. The Nigerien president additionally conferred Buhari with the best country wide honour of the Niger Republic – Grand Croix Des Ordre National Du Niger.
Issoufou said the highest countrywide award of his united states of america turned into bestowed on Buhari for his “fraternity, energy, patriotism and backbone to transport Africa forward, starting from the West Coast.”
This trade of ‘country wide items’ among these presidents has elicited criticisms from a few Nigerians approximately the reason in the back of his naming a street in Nigeria’s capital city after the president of the Niger Republic.
Some critics even argued that Buhari’s roots might be traced to the Niger Republic, mentioning that because the purpose his administration is constructing the 284-kilometre Kano-Maradi railway.
Facts do no longer assist those conspiracy theories.
Regardless of these conspiracies, former Nigeria leaders Babangida, Obasanjo and Jonathan all named tasks after presidents from different nations.
Ibrahim Babangida – Soglo Way, Badagry
Babangida named a avenue after former Republic of Benin President Nicéphore Soglo in 1992 throughout his go to to Nigeria.
Soglo’s go to to Nigeria became a year after he succeeded Mathieu Kérékou as Republic of Benin president.
The street named after Soglo stretches from Badagry Town Hall to Agbalata Market.
Babangida resigned from the office 365 days after – in 1993.
Olusegun Obasanjo – Bill Clinton Avenue, Sauka, Abuja.
Bill Clinton become the primary American president to go to Nigerian after Jimmy Carter did in 1978. His go to came a yr after Nigeria lower back to democracy.
To display his appreciation to Clinton, the then President Olusegun Obasanjo named the stretch of street leading to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Bill Clinton Avenue, Sauka, Abuja.
Obasanjo also gave Clinton 3 Nigerian names – one each from 3 ethnic agencies – Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba.
Goodluck Jonathan
Barely a month to the cease of his tenure as Nigerian president, Jonathan named roads in Asokoro extension, Abuja, after former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Anan, overdue South African anti-apartheid activist Walter Sisulu and former President of Sudan, Gaafar al-Nimeiry.
Notable Nigerian politicians, sports figures and businessmen were also honoured within the naming spree.
Others
Apart from the above, there is a litany of roads, streets and buildings in Nigeria named after African leaders.
There is a Nelson Mandela Road/Street in Calabar, Cross River State – named after former South African president.
Also in the Unversity of Nigeria (UNN), Enugu Campus, UNEC, there may be a Kwame Nkrumah Postgraduate Hostel.
Crown Estate in Lekki, Lagos State has streets named after Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta (former Kenyan top minister and later president) and Patrice Lumumba (the first prime minister of the Republic of Congo).
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