By Mumini Abdulkareem
They have many things in common but yet they appear poles apart as many of their political foot soldiers would argue. One is in Ibadan, south west Nigeria and held the political firmament of the state in its jugular with his brand of “Amala” politics, a concept popularise as stomach infrastructure by Governor Peter Fayose of Ekiti. For the other, he wielded enormous control and influence in the politics of Kwara state in the north central region of the country like a colossus.
When they were around in their country homes in their separate domains, whether in Ile Arugbo, GRA in Ilorin or Molete in Ibadan, they receive all kinds of visitors that cut across all sectors of the polity and held many political meetings that usually last into the early hours of the next day where crucial political decisions were decided.
Furthermore, they were both Muslims and died four years apart in 2008 and 2012 respectively, but the narrative of their legacies and dynasties appear a conflicted contrast. As political enigma of their times, their fascinating stories have continue to dominate discuss after their glorious exit from the scene of a trade that brought them fame and glory.
They made and sacked governors, install and remove respectively those that tried to play “smart” who dare to challenge their political sophistication as witnessed in the cases of Lam Adesina and Rashidi Ladoja and Adamu Attah and Muhammed Alabi Lawal. Welcome to the world of the political icons of Kwara State, late Abubakar Olusola Saraki and the garrison commander of Ibadan politics, Chief Lamidi Ariyibi Akanji Adedibu both of blessed memory.
Since their glorious exit, many political pundits have been concerned about the sustenance of their huge political empires that were the epicentre of many commentaries while they were alive. And many years down the line, the story can be unarguably described as a tale of two dynasties with many shades of contradictions and similarities.
Concerns for Adedibu’s school of thought
For late Adedibu, whose Molete residence described as a Mecca of political activities and thronged by politicians, beggars, political thugs, artisans, old women and others for favours when he was alive, is said to be a ghost community now. As “against the norm when the ‘palace’ was operated like a car mart with hundreds of vehicles occupying the open space, that number, according to a recent media report, has depleted to an insignificant six signifying a crumbling political empire whose students and school of thought, including his son and former Senator, Kamorudeen Adedibu appeared not to have done enough to continue to fly the flag of the political dynasty.
According to a recent online report by Premium Times, since Adedibu’s death, his political dynasty has been thrown into disarray as many of his political protegees have either deserted his Molete home or deviated from his ‘style’ of politics and choice of political party.
Many of the direct beneficiaries of the brand of politics of late Adedibu like former Governor Alao-Akala, have danced around many political parties until lately when he Akala joined the APC since he lost his re-election bid in 2011.
Also, a former Senate Leader and renown Adedibu loyalist, Teslim Folarin, has defected from the PDP to the APC, after he contested the governorship seat on the platform of the party in 2015 and lost out to the incumbent Abiola Ajimobi of the APC. Similarly, Taofeeq Arapaja, the then deputy to Mr. Alao-Akala has since defected to the ruling APC in a bid to maintain relevance in the state’s political space.
According to the Premium Times report, Kamorudeen representing Oyo South Senatorial District before his father’s death has exited the political space in the state since he lost his re-election bid in 2011. The paper said when it visited his campaign office in Molete, officials said the former senator could not be reached, adding that “He is just trying to stage a comeback and you can see the banner. He left here long time ago and we didn’t even hear anything from him. I think he is also preparing to come back in 2019,” quoting a resident of the area who craved anonymity.
While residents of Ibadan have expressed diverse opinions about Adedibu’s impact in the political terrain of the country, the removal of the NURTW narrative to the debate now which reportedly signaled the end of many politically-motivated violence has been regarded as a peaceful exit to the once troubled state. And apart from been “a colossus who supported the poor and the needy in the society, he was also a great philanthropist and benefactor to many”, Adebibu may not have properly and adequately prepared for his glorious exit
Speaking on the issue, an Ibadan-based public affairs analyst, Maroof Asindemade traced Adedibu’s authority to his understanding of the language of local politics.
“Late Chief Adedibu understood the language of local politics and he deployed it to great advantage. The gate of his palatial premises was left open for poverty-stricken people and political opportunists who swarmed his house for food and financial favour; not to talk of those who hanged their political destinies on the late political godfather. Regrettably, look at the manner politicians deserted his Molete home. This can be attributed to Adedibu’s refusal to embrace refined politics. He only empowered people with stomach infrastructure and once he was not there again to sustain the empowerment, people moved on to where their stomach would have sustenance. He did not inculcate worthy political ideology into his political godsons and daughters. The result of this is that there’s nothing to immortalise him such that till date, no memorial lecture has been held in honour of the political enigma. Also, the maverick politician did not leave behind offspring with the large heart and political acumen that he possessed. They could not manage the political dynasty the chief left behind. Molete home of the late garrison commander has become a shadow of itself”, he submitted.
Saraki’s dynasty, a huge contrast
But for late Saraki, most of these observations about the failure of Adedibu’s legacies is the exact opposite. From where the former senate leader stopped, his son and scion of the political dynasty, Dr Bukola Saraki not only filled his father’s shoe but upped the narrative across the country.
Today, Bukola Saraki has emerged the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, his stock, influence and popularity has risen tremendously to the extent that he is being tipped in many quarters and by top citizens to even replace President Muhammed Buhari. There is also the talk to immortalise late Saraki’s brand of politics across universities in the country with many memorial lecture held in his honour in that regard. And while Adedibu was accused of nothing refining his politics, Saraki is said to have “digitalised” what his father left with the number of students increasing almost every day. Moreover, he has also continued on a larger scale what his father did for the state and his people through his personal capacity and the advantage of his office.
According to political pundits, there is no politician worth his/her salt in Kwara today that did not pass through late Saraki’s political school and more than ninety per cent of that figure still eulogise him in death even while they have reportedly left his camp.
Speaking on the issue, the chairman of the APC in the state, Hon Ishola Balogun Fulani told National Pilot after the recent federal board appointments were close to forty Kwarans made the list, said to be unprecedented in the history of the country, that Bukola Saraki has surpassed what his late father left behind and with many goodies still in his kitty for the people of the state.
“The prayer of every father is for his son to surpass him and Bukola Saraki’s case is not different. He has not only surpassed and improved on what he met on ground, he has carried the dynasty to another level of operation. This is just a tip of the iceberg.
Balogun also alluded to the place of prayer in the whole scenario. “We have always believed in prayers and which we believed was what the foundation of the dynasty was built upon and we have not renege on that front to always accord the place of prayer a special mention in all our affairs and we know and believe that almighty Allah has not let us down. Most of the troubles Saraki and the dynasty had encountered has not only been resolved but the end result has been additional heights for Saraki and the structure he has so well carried upon his shoulders.
