Late Chief Solomon Lar, the pioneer National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and former Governor of Plateau, died as a poor man, his daughter, Chalya Lar, said on Thursday.
She made the statement during her testimony at the service of songs for the late Mr. Lar at the Church of Christ In Nations (COCIN) headquarters in Jos.
“Baba has only one car at the time he died; I am not even sure he has up to N1 million in his account before he died,” she said.
The daughter said that she had cause to have a one-on-one discussion with her father as they travelled abroad on his medical trip.
She said that she asked the late politician why he did not amass wealth and build houses like other politicians but that the reply she got from him was on how he was educated on other people’s sweat.
“They contributed their sweat to send me to school; I cannot forget that,” she quoted Mr. Lar as saying to her.
She said that rather than telling her why he remained poor, the deceased stressed the need for his children to strive for good name.
According to her testimony, the late politician said: “A good name will always open doors for you.”
She said that her father was also a very good Christian and a lover of the people even at the point of his demise.
“He never ceased expressing faith in God and his love for the people while on his sick bed, even when he knew his end had come,” she said.
A former Personal Assistant to Mr. Lar, Nanven Nimsel, in his testimony, described his former boss as a good Christian and a generous politician.
He said that late Mr. Lar practiced self denial to a fault, adding that “this robbed his people of Langtang some good opportunities when he was governor of the state”.
He said that at a time when Mr. Lar appointed administrators for the then 14 local governments, he left out Langtang, claiming that as a governor he had represented them.
Mr. Nimsel said that was the reason Langtang did not have the presence of any higher institution of learning till date.
He said that at the time Mr. Lar, as governor, gave other parts of the state institutions of higher learning, Langtang had no commissioner to represent it and so did not benefit alongside with others.
“He kept telling us to be patient, while he was pleasing others; he only left us with a legacy of patience,” he said.
Gov. Jonah Jang, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Shedrack Best, described Mr. Lar’s death as a loss to the state.
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Where had all d good old men gone? The politicians on power now are just chit, rubbish, useless, shameless, foolish, there are no bad adjectives to qualify them. Thank God for Jesus, I would have regretted being a Nigerian
ReplyDeleteRest in peace Chief Lar! God repose ur gentle soul. Amen
ReplyDeleteIs it a taboo for Langtang to have brought him to existence? They should have been equally represented both in kind and infrastructurally & enjoy the goodies as other towns enjoyed. Cheating your own town doesn't make u the best Governor neither an hyprocrite.
ReplyDeleteSolomon Lar has played his own part and has gone the way of al mortals. may the good Lord grant him peace amen.
ReplyDeleteWho funded his medical tourism abroad? A poor man indeed.
ReplyDeleteWho funded his medical tourism abroad? A poor man indeed.
ReplyDeleteIf the daughter said Solomon Lar did not engage in reckless looting of State and National resources, I would have agreed. But to say he died a poor man, that is stretching the truth. All former Governors like Lar had a Pension running. Lar Used his position to see his children (Victor Lar and Bernie Lar) go to the national assembly where stupendous salaries are paid. Just one out of these two children alone can look after their father at whatever level of Luxury.
ReplyDeleteIf Solomon Lar asked for a presidential jet to take him from Abuja to Jos or Abuja to India, he would get it. S. Lar was a good man who knew God and decided to live modestly. To say he died a poor man can only mean that you are using the 'lootocratic' politicians of today as a yardstick for comparison.
May God receive His soul and grant him eternal rest.
The daughter said he was a generous man. The point that he had one car and no house abroad was to make the point that he preferred to help others rather than amass wealth for himself
ReplyDelete