A human rights activist, Vincent Ezekwueme, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime to complete the process of immortalising Nnamdi Azikiwe by declaring November 16 as a public holiday to celebrate him.

Mr Azikiwe, popularly called ‘Zik of Africa’, worked to actualise Nigeria’s independence from British colonial rule and the social engineering of the country.

Mr Ezekwueme said the immortalisation of Mr Azikiwe with a public holiday on his birthday, being November 16, would further build national consciousness and patriotism among Nigerians.

“As the first governor of Eastern Region, Senate president, governor-general and president, Zik-of-Africa deserved to be honoured with a national holiday in appreciation of his immense sacrifices and contributions towards our independence and Nigeria’s unity,” he argued. “Declaration of November 16 as Zik’s Day will foster unity, love, national cohesion and integration. I commend the federal government for completion of Zik’s Mausoleum.”

Mr Ezekwueme, the chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Anambra, also appealed for the creation of additional states and local government areas in the South-East.

“This is in tandem with recommendations of National Constitutional Conference and to keep the zone at par with other zones within the federation,” he added.

(NAN)