Kaduna map. Web photo
The late former Deputy Governor of
Kaduna State, Barnabas Bala, popularly
known as Bantex, was on Saturday
buried in his hometown in Manchok,
Kaura Local Government Area.
The burial organised by the Evangelical
Church Winning All, Manchok, was
attended by relatives, friends, associates
and top government officials including
the state governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Bala, 64, died in an Abuja hospital on
July 11 following a protracted illness.
El-Rufai in a tribute at the funeral
described the deceased as one of the
most honest and decent persons he had
ever come across in life.
“Bantex was a brilliant man. But beyond
that, he was one of the most honest and
decent humans I have ever come across.
I will miss my friend.
“We never argued in the four years he
was my deputy except once when he
told me he was going to resign.
“And there was no decision we took
without getting his opinion as the final
opinion,” he said.
According to him, Bantex will be
remembered for his laudable
contributions to the growth and
development of the state.
The deceased’s wife, Ladi Bala, said her
late husband was a peaceful and loving
man who died with a smile on his face.
“He was a peacemaker and his last
words to me were thank you and thank
you. My husband was all smiles as he
passed away.
“Even the doctors said they had never
seen anything like that. Our only
consolation now is that he has gone to
be with the Lord,” she said
Also speaking, the ECWA President, Rev.
Stephen Panya, noted the critical role
Bantex played in the life and history of
the Church in Nigeria.
“He designed and built the present
ECWA headquarters in Jos, Plateau
State, and the church will always be
proud of him,” Panya said.
On his part, Plateau Deputy Governor,
Prof. Sonny Tyoden, described the
deceased as an uncommon politician
who stayed true to his convictions.
“He was an uncommon politician who
was never flippant but stayed true to
whatever he believed in.
“Let us all strive to live by the
principles that guided his life here on
earth because he was a true patriot,”
Tyoden said.
Bala was El-Rufai’s deputy between 2015
and 2019 when he resigned to contest
for Senate on the platform of the All
Progressives Congress but lost to People
Democratic Party’s Danjuma La’ah.
(NAN)