The renaming of the Kwara State Stadium Complex after the late Major-General George Agbazika Innih is a fitting tribute to a man whose contributions to the state and the nation remain undeniable.
The decision by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq was in recognition of Innih’s contributions to the state and the country. As military governor of Kwara State from 1976 to 1978, Innih contributed to the state’s development and left behind projects that still stand today.
Born on September 25, 1938, in Agenebode, Edo State, Innih had a solid educational background. He attended Catholic and government schools before moving on to Edo College, Benin City. His military training took him to the Mons Officer Cadet School and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England.
From there, he rose through the ranks, serving in different capacities in the Nigerian Army, including as a platoon commander, brigade commander, and later, military governor.
Innih first served as military governor of Bendel State after the 1975 coup led by Brigadier Murtala Mohammed. In his usual decisive manner, he dissolved the executive council, suspended contract awards, and ordered a review of state finances. When General Murtala Mohammed was assassinated in 1976, the new head of state, General Olusegun Obasanjo, redeployed Innih to Kwara State.
Before then, Innih served in the Nigerian Civil War from 1967 to 1970 and was a battalion commander in the 3rd Infantry Division.
During his time in Kwara, Innih oversaw several development projects. He constructed the Kwara State Stadium Complex, now named after him, as well as the Adewole Housing Estate. His administration expanded major roads, including Unity and Taiwo Roads, and improved market infrastructure across the state, with the Baboko Market in Ilorin being one of his notable projects.
He also implemented the Operation Feed the Nation (OFN) programme which sought to boost food production.
After retiring from the military in 1980, Innih remained active in business and public service. He led several organisations and was recognized for his contributions with the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR). In 1998, the University of Ilorin awarded him an honourary doctorate. He passed away in 2002 at the age of 63.
Governor AbdulRazaq’s recognition of the late statesman will ensure that his name remains part of Kwara’s history.
Other prominent Nigerians honoured along him were Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, after whom the multibillion-naira Civil Service Clinic project is being named.
In addition, Governor Abdulrazaq approved the naming of the ICT Centre at Kwara State University of Education after former Minister Amina Ndalolo
The first state secretariat was renamed the Brigadier General David Bamigboye Secretariat in honour of the first military administrator of the old Kwara State, while the new secretariat will be named after Rear Admiral Muhammed Alabi Lawal, who governed the state from 1999 to 2003.
The main bowl of the stadium has been named after the late Rashidi Yekini, Nigeria’s football legend and the country’s highest goal scorer, who famously scored Nigeria’s first World Cup goal. Other are:
Table Tennis Arena: Named after Atanda Musa (Manza Musa), a national champion in 1979.
Indoor Sports Hall: Named after Gabriel Babatunde Ladipo, the first black principal of the Government Technical Training School Ilorin.
Squash Court: Named after Coach Bolakale Mogaji
KFA Academy: Named after Coach Usuman Adenuja
– Odule, a journalist writes from Abuja.
Disclaimer: This article is entirely the opinion of the writer and does not represent the views of The Whistler.
