It may be out of their desire to nurse back to health their people and see them glowing and living a healthy life that the Bawas of Kwande District of Kwo Chiefdom, thought it wise to bring close home a state-of-the-art hospital.
What seemed at first like a mustard seed planted in a fertile land that grows to produce many fruits in Kwo Chiefdom, has finally put smiles on the faces of not only the people of Kwande, but the entire people of Southern Senatorial Zone of Plateau State because of its proximity.
There is no denying the fact that, a private health insurance hospital of that magnitude is not found anywhere in the state, not to talk of having it in such locality. Truly, this gigantic project to say but the least would have been cited in the capital city of Jos or better say Abuja if it were for money making, but the Bawas thought of doing that in memory of their late parents-Peter and Anna Bawa.
They built and donated this 50-bed capacity hospital that is well equipped with facilities, a brand-new ambulance and mortuary that can accommodate more than ten bodies at a time. All this was not to only support their people healthwise, but to prove that they are part and parcel of the Kwo Chiefdom and they wanted to give back to their community.
However, record have it that their father, late Peter Bawa, was an astute administrator and was the first Northerner to rise to the office of the Chief Federal Labour Officer, Federal Ministry of Labour. Their mother, late Mrs. Anna Peter Bawa, was a grassroot politician and was a onetime councillor and later Board Member of Jos Metrological Development Board (JMDB) respectively.
Considering the rare contributions of their parents to humanity and society, the Bawa family decided to do something spectacular in memory of their parents and in service to their motherland. It is certainly true that when one cares to know and understands the heartbeats of his people and move to bring succour to them by putting in place what can cushion their hardship, it is a prove to the fact that home is home, and the happiness of his people is what matters much to him.
While commissioning the project in Kwande, the Plateau State Governor, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, CON, represented by the Commissioner for Local Government Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Sylvanus Tapgun, rated the family of Miskoom Peter and Nnah Anna Bawa high for their great sacrifice to construct a state-of-the-art hospital in Kwo Chiefdom of Qua’an-Pan Local Government Area to help cushion the health situation of their people.
He said, “I am here not to commission this gigantic edifice, but to share with you the goodness of this day. This is one clear example of how our people’s level is being raised. I want to thank this family for the blessing that has been on them and also wish to pass it to their father and mother land to show that they are part and parcel of this land.
“I want to also thank you wholeheartedly, on behalf of the government and people of Plateau State for contributing to the solution to health challenges of the state, because this is another blessing that has come to Kwo Chiefdom and Plateau State”, Lalong commended.
The Executive Chairman, Qua’an-Pan LGC, Hon. Ernest Da’a, said, “as a Christian, we know that the Bible says that on the last day, God will ask whether we had visited him in the hospital or cloth him when he needed to be clothed or did you give him food when he was hungry. But in your own case, you did not only visit the sick, but you brought the hospital to our home, and it is quite dear”.
Also, former member, House of Representatives from Nasarawa State, Hon. Ahmed Wadada Aliyu, said, “We bless God for the Bawas! It is one thing for you to have the wherewithal and it is completely a different ball game for you to be blessed by God to want to use the wherewithal to put such edifice particularly, to address health need. For me, I pray for them, commend them and I am challenged because I am a leader”.
His Royal Highness, Miskoom Fidelis Longtoe Attahiru1, the Long Kwo of Kwo Chiefdom, who could not hide his joy charged sons and daughters of the Kwo Chiefdom to cherish and honour this great gesture saying, “under my watch, I promise the Shitgurum family that, I will do everything possible to maintain and sustain this great gesture”.
Meanwhile, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Peter Bawa and Anna Foundation and the donor, Miskoom Dr. Godfrey Peter Bawa Shitgurum, MON, the
the Noetsen of Kwo Chiefdom, said, “I feel great, I feel honoured and satisfied that after we serve God, we will serve humanity. We have given the hospital. It is now left for them to sit down with the Long Kwo who is in charge of the hospital and know what to do.
You need to see how happy they were when the Bawa family commissioned and donated the hospital to their community under the watch of His Royal Highness, Miskoom Fidelis Attahiru 1, the Long Kwo of Kwo Chiefdom. This, they did to mark the 65th birthday of Dr. Godfrey Peter Bawa Shitgurum, the Chairman, Duncan Maritime Ventures and Peter/Anna Bawa Foundation.
Both young and old trooped in to celebrate this great gesture freely done to them. Children were not left out of this celebration as they were colourfully dressed in the Goemai attires singing praises with adults and chanting Goemai heroic slogans when the Chairman, Peter&Anna Bawa Foundation, Dr. Godfrey Peter Bawa Shitgurum arrived the hospital.
There were display of traditional dances by the Goemai masquerades like Bakwa Riga, Tong-beres, Munashi, Lukwo among others as the Plateau State Cultural Troop and Idoma dancers entertained dignitaries who graced the occasion.
The occasion climaxed with dinner at the Crispan Events and Suits Jos. The wife of celebrant, Bishop Bawa described her husband as an exceptional hardworking man she has ever met. There was also Golf tournament sponsored by the celebrant to celebrate the birthday at Lamingo Golf Course.
