Bala Takaya, middle belt forum chairman, is dead

Bala Takaya, chairman of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), is dead.

Takaya died on Sunday at about 2am at the National Hospital Abuja where he had been treating an undisclosed ailment. He was 68 years old.

The late politician hailed from Mabuguva, Mubi local government area of Adamawa state.

He obtained his first degree from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in 1974 and later proceeded to the London School of Economics and Political Science where he obtained another degree in 1978.

The deceased lectured in ABU and the University of Jos.

In 1999, he contested for the office of governor of Adamawa state on the platform of the then All Peoples Party (APP) but lost to Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Atiku was later appointed running mate to ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo.

In 1987, Takaya was a member of the political bureau set up by the military regime of Ibrahim Babangida to fashion out a new political order for the country.

He also served as secretary to the old Gongola state government between 1979 to 1981.

He is known for his work ‘The Kaduna Mafia’, a book he co-authored with Sonni Gwanle Tyoden, current deputy governor of Plateau state.

Takaya is survived by one wife and five children.