By Joke Adeniyi-Jackson, Adebayo Olodan, Mumini Abdulkareem and Kayode Adeoti
Exactly 25 days after the Executive Council was dissolved by the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, ex-commissioners and former special advisers to the governor spoke to National Pilot on their latest engagements and what has been occupying their time since the announcement of their exit from office on January 18.
Speaking with our reporters, last night, the ex-commissioners all expressed appreciation to Governor Ahmed and the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki for deeming them worthy of serving the state.
Speaking on what he has been doing since he left office, the former commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Engr Musa Ayinla Yeketi said he has returned to poultry and fish farming.
In his words, Yeketi said, “Let me start by appreciating our amiable Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed and the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki for our call to duty.
“For now, I have returned to my poultry and fish farming business and I can tell you that I am at the stage of exporting smoked fish abroad for sale. There are only two of us in Kwara State that have the facilities to process fish to be sold to foreign countries,” Yeketi divulged.
Similarly, his Women Affairs and Social Development counterpart, Hajia Ayinke Saka said beside her commercial farming engagement, she has floated a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) to improve the living standard of women especially the widows and female children in the society.
“As commissioner, my office was able to do a lot for women folks in the state through the support of the governor and his beautiful wife, Deaconess Omolewa Ahmed. I also appreciate our leader, Dr Bukola Saraki.
“Aside my farm located somewhere in Oke-Oyi, I want to continue to push the course of females especially our widows and indigent girls in the society through my NGO.
“My experience as commissioner has been worthwhile and it is always a delight to serve my people in any capacity,” she said.
In his response, the immediate past commissioner for Youths and Sports, Alhaji Kale Ayo said for the moment, he has returned to his pharmacist profession.
“I have returned to my profession as a registered pharmacist and I am also into hospitality business which I have been doing for a while. In fact, I can tell you that I rarely have time to rest these days.
“As I speak to you, I am in the midst of my colleagues (the former commissioners) and together, we are having a swell time.”
In the same vein, the former special adviser on Political Matters to the governor, Alhaji Usman Bibire Ajape, said for the past three weeks, he has concentrated majorly on promotion of local artistes and local politics.
“You know politics is in our blood, so for now, I am working assiduously to win more people for the party and we have been consulting at ward and local government level ahead of the general elections in 2019.
“We are one big family in Kwara and we all support the Saraki family when it comes to politics. 80 per cent of our daily routine for now is politics because the election is around the corner,” he said.
Ajape however added that his label company, White Heritage International is working in collaboration with Saidat Fatimah Al-Jafariyah, Rasheedat Anike, Sulaiman Alao and about five other artistes including Aminat Obirere and Rukayat Gawat.
“While we remain focus on 2019, I want to see how we can continue to improve the fortune of artistes in the state by giving them the necessary exposure,” the former council boss, submitted.
On his part, the former Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Sulyman Atolagbe Alege said he is preoccupied with political activities.
He said: “As a grassroots politician, I now have time to visit my constituency and relate better with people. I have been able to invest my time fostering the leader’s (Dr. Bukola Saraki) interest in my ward and local government. Basically I am involved in political activities.”
In addition, he stated that he now has ample time to relax with family members and visit friends and associates, adding that he feels fulfilled having served his “people well.”
Another ex-commissioner to have gone into farming is Muideen Alalade who presided over the Lands and Housing Ministry.
Speaking with our reporter last night, Alalade said, “I am into mechanised farming here in Kwara and I also do cars selling which ensured I travelled to Lagos and Cotonou. I have returned to those businesses now and I devote more time trying to restructure them.
“Also I now spend more time with my constituency, family and normally visit people at the grassroots in my community every weekend. I am missing my staff the most at the ministry which comprised of people from all local governments.
“Personally, I am not keen at coming back but it depends on direction the structure wants to go and if they still find me useful, then I have no choice,” he stressed.
I now run security outfit
In his response, former commissioner for Agriculture in the state, Hon Bamidele Adegoke said, “
“I’m a security consultant before now, as we speak I’m engage in the venture.
“… So far so good, we cherished the appointment but there is a time to start and time to quit, whatever comes, we have to take it in good faith,” he said.
For Adegoke’s Water Resources counterpart, Barr. Abdulrazaq Akorede, he has not abandoned his legal profession despite the numerous meetings he now attends ahead of politics of 2019.
“I’ am committed towards ensuring that the APC is successful in the 2019 election.” he added.
For former Special Adviser on Agriculture and Water Resources, Hon Anu Ibiwoye, he said, “I’ve been devoting my time to poultry farming. Before I came into government I have cows, turkeys and other livestock, those things are still there and I will continue to mind them.
“I hope when the cabinet is reconstituted, when the roll is called, we will be there. I believe we’ll be reconsidered. More importantly, whether we are in government or not, we are all stakeholders in the state,” he stressed.
When contacted, former helmsman of the Ministry of Information and Communication, Alhaji Mahmud Babatunde Ajeigbe stressed that the immediate former commissioners in the state are economically empowered.
“All of us have one thing or the other that we were doing before we were given appointment, which we can fall back on.
“It is obvious we are happy because we have contributed our quota to the growth and development of the state and we are ready to continue to support government and governance in the state,” he emphasised.
Meanwhile the former state Attorney General of the State and Commissioner for Justice, Kalmadeen Ajibade (SAN) yesterday night feted his colleagues.
The gathering of the ex-commissioners is unprecedented in the history of Kwara State.
This medium was however unable to ascertain venue of the merry making at the time of filing this report.
Ajeigbe said only one out of the 19 sacked commissioners was absent at the party.
National Pilot reliably gathered that former commissioner for Finance, Engr Nurudeen Demola Banu was the only one that was conspicuously absent at the shindig. This medium however could not confirm whether Banu made a trip outside the shores of the country.
