Seriki N’Driver dies at 75
By Mumini Abdulkareem
For family and close associates of the Seriki N’Driver of Ilorin, Alhaji Saliu Olarongbe, Monday 25, 2019 will go down as one of the darkest days in the history of the long romance of their late breadwinner with the royal family of the Alimi dynasty in Ilorin that had lasted over five decades.
Late Olarongbe, from Ilorin East Local Government of Kwara State, breathed his last around 1:00am on Monday at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Oke-Oyi after spending exactly one week at the facility for kidney related ailment.
The 75 years old was survived by four wives, 20 children and four sisters. Three of his male siblings had all passed on.
His Janazah on Monday which was performed at exactly 11:25am was witnessed by mammoth crowd, led by the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Alhaji Muhammed Bashir Soliu at the deceased’s residence in Ita-Adu, Gambari area of Ilorin.
Traditional chiefs across Ilorin emirate, community leaders, top government functionaries including the Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Dr Ali Ahmad and Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold who represented Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed. Also present were Islamic clerics and several sympathisers from within and outside Ilorin.
Dying moment
For the late Seriki N’ Driver, the final journey to the celestial plane began late Sunday night in his hospital bed at the emergency unit of UITH, two months after he lost one of his daughters. What began like a breathing difficulty defied the intervention of the nurse on duty who was called upon to attend to him. Narrating what transpired to this reporter, the deceased’s first daughter, Hajia Halimat Onaolapo Olarongbe said “By 12:30 midnight on Monday, he began to chant Laila Ilala, Muhammadu Rosulullahi. Then by 12:45am, he laughed and I asked why but he told me nothing. Then he cried afterwards and I used his handkerchief to wipe his tears and face and he started laughing again.
“He then uttered Laila Ilala, Muhammadu Rosulullahi and Alhamadulillahi three times and softly gave up the ghost. His first son, Oluwatoyin Olarongbe further corroborated the eldest daughter adding that he knew that his father was about to die. “He cried with tears running down his cheek. I couldn’t look at him at that point and I had to turn my back.”
His battle with kidney related ailment
Last August, late Olarongbe was flown to India for proper dialysis and treatment of his kidney problem he had battled for some time. On his return to the country after about two months of treatment, he had been in and out of the hospital until his death.
His worries about Saraki, Alimi dynasty
Late Olarongbe has been described as a loyal and committed community man who valued and cherished greatly his relationship with people.
However, his love knew no bound for the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and the Alimi dynasty since he joined the revered family as a driver to the 9th Emir of Ilorin and the father of the incumbent, Alhaji AbdulKadir Zulqarnayn. For his extreme love for the Saraki and the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, late Seriki N’Driver expressed concern after the last general elections in the state and the situation formed part of the last lively discussion he had with his family.
According to Hajia Halimat, the family did not initially disclose to him the outcome of the poll.
“After the election, he asked if it was Hon Razak Atunwa and Dr Bukola Saraki that won and we said yes, in order not to create trouble for him. Few days later when he became aware of the outcome, he said we did not tell him the truth. Our father was really concerned about the election victory of Hon Atunwa and Dr Saraki. He never wanted Dr Bukola Saraki or the Alimi dynasty to be relegated.
“After the election and announcement of result, he was frantic about what will happen to the Emir of Ilorin afterwards and we assured him that nothing will happen. We called the Personal Assistant to the Emir to speak with him on the telephone and he assured him that nothing will happen to the Emir. He loved the Alimi dynasty to a fault and was always concerned about its state of affairs,” she added.
Emir’s trusted representative
The late Seriki N’ Driver lived, grew and died as a worthy representative of the Emir of Ilorin. Right from his attachment to the royal stool through his father (also of blessed memory), he rose to become one of the trusted allies of the Emir and resolved issues on behalf of his boss with the latter’s permission. According to LAK Jimoh who described him the late Olaroungbe as his childhood friend, “If you have any problem to take to the Emir, you have to go through him. He was a straight forward person and was very trusted by the Emir. Sometimes, he would have resolved some of those issues and those he was unable to, he presented to the Emir.”
Accident Free Career
According to findings by this medium, the late Seriki N’Driver had an accident free service career with the former Emir of Ilorin that spanned over three decades. Although it was not clear if he attended any formal driving school, his handling of exotic wheels that dotted the emir’s palace especially the Limousine was a delight to watch. In the words of the former Grand Khadi of the Kwara State Sharia Court of Appeal, Justice Idris Haroon (retd), “he was an experienced driver and when he drives, you will not even think of his age. He has the competency and dynamism to manoeuvre the wheels and he does it with high sense of responsibility and knowledge. He was very conversant with places the royal father visits whether close by or far away and the way he manoeuvred those limousines was highly amazing”.
Will there be another Seriki N’Driver?
Maybe yes of no. But according to the Magaji Nda of Ilorin, Alhaji Soliu Woru Mohammed, who described the deceased as a through community leader, the Emir of Ilorin has the prerogative to appoint another Seriki N’Driver or not as the owner and creator of all the traditional titles in the Emirate.
His Political Life/Popularity
Although, he had been a mobiliser and have always had the privilege of leading many associations in his youthful years, his political life and activities were largely limited probably because of his connection with the palace, according to a member of his family. While he was alive, he was well known to many past presidents, head of states and former and serving governors many of whom identified with Seriki N’ Driver in public functions. According to one of his nephews, Abdulrasheed Elewu, his popularity was underscored by his association with people like former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, late Gen. Sani Abacha, Ibrahim Babangida, Abubakar Abdulsalam, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Raji Fashola and Orji Uzor Kalu, among others. Even the Kwara Governor-elect, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq visited him before his demise. He was befriended by many politicians from across the divide”.
Was he a millionaire?
Before he was appointed the Chief Driver of the late Emir and the father of the incumbent, he was a staff of the Native Authority (Local Government Authority). In that capacity, he handled all the driving and transportation issues in the palace. Though he was a businessman and contractor, it might be difficult to classify him as a millionaire before his death. The late Seriki N’Driver was a man that expended greatly on his family and relatives. Till death, he was the strong pillar of the family as he catered for the need of his relatives. According to Elewu, “It’s only Allah we beseech to assist and stand by us in this time of great need. He was a pillar in the family and he represented many things.
“We know his demise has left a very wide vacuum but we trust God. It is very difficult to quantify his contribution to the wellbeing of the family. Till his death, he was paying the school fees of all his children, grand children and his brother’s children including water bills. He never allowed us to sleep in the dark as he expended N10,000 on diesel everyday for the past 10 years. Even when he was in India for health reasons, that didn’t stop,”
Controversy
For the entire period of his association with the royal institution in the emirate spanning over four decades, late Seriki N’Driver only had one controversy that he allegedly collected gratification to favour one Adebayo Ismaila Ayelade over chieftaincy title of Maya village in Ilorin East. But denying the report, the late Seriki N’Driver said he was never detained by the police over the issue adding that the report was false in its entirety.
“I didn’t collect any land from him during the time he was seeking support for the stool, he sent his friend Abdulqadir Shuaib to me and he said Ismaila asked him to give me a portion of land but I told him that his friend has not been announced as the Alangua, so I rejected the offer. I didn’t collect anything from him. Since 1960 I never received petition from anybody and I don’t collect anything from anyone for chieftaincy position.”
His lawyer, AbdulAmin Sulu Gambari further spoke on the issue thus:
“It is worthy of note that our client is a chief in the Emirate council and we will not allow anybody whatsoever to tarnish the good name and image of our client. Based on the fact we are demanding for letter of apology …within seven days of receipt of this letter hence, we will not hesitate to take both criminal and civil action against your client in the court of law.
The then commissioner of Police, Aminu Saleh also denied the arrest of Seriki N’ Driver adding that the police only investigated the matter.
Reactions
He was a great mobiliser – LAK Jimoh: It’s a great loss to the entire Ilorin Emirate because he was a pillar and man of the people who was very serviceable to them and very sensitive to their needs. He was also very willing to do his best to assist anybody that comes to him. His vacuum will be impossible to fill especially in this our locality. We have been together since childhood and we have been associates in the field of politics for over 40years. He was a community mobiliser which can be seen from the crowd that witnessed his Janazah. He was a man of the people and we will miss him greatly. He was an asset to the Alimi family for decades since the reign of the late Emir, Zulu Qarnayn.
A devoted community leader – Justice Idris Haroon: We lost a very devoted community leader and a man of focus who was ready to serve his community at any time. He has been of tremendous assistance to the administration of the palace as the chief driver of his royal highness. Death will come suddenly to everybody as Allah (SWT) has said and his own time has come. We pray that Allah forgives him. No doubt we have lost a friend, brother and father.
He never sold his conscience – Magaji Nda: He was extremely loyal to the Alimi dynasty. Due to his reliability and loyalty, he was appointed chief driver and he led a very decent life. He was not harmful but a complete gentleman and my association with him was very cordial. He was one of us with unflinching love for the Saraki dynasty also. The palace and politicians will miss him because of his loyalty and reliability and you cannot buy his conscience no matter what unlike some ingrates. He was principled. The lesson from his death judging from the sea of heads that converged for his Janazah is that we should be loyal to our cause. The late Seriki N’ Driver never abandoned Saraki and he consistently advised people not to do so. He was concerned about the unity, peace and harmony of the Emirate. He advised people not to abandon the Senate President just like me. Some of the ingrates have started romancing the Governor-elect, wanting to mislead him. He was my friend indeed even though sometimes we disagree on principle.
We never wanted him to leave – Alhaji Isaq Maigida N’Sama (Brother): We never wanted him to leave us but God knows best. He was a man of integrity. As a brother, he was the pillar of the family and he took care of everybody.
He loved children of others more – Hajia Halimatu Onaolapo Olarongbe (Daughter): He loved other children more than his own and was prepare to answer them first before his. He was a straightforward person and lover of the community who will be sorely missed. He never wanted a situation where his family will sleep in darkness. He still gave all his children and grand children feeding money and paid their school fees until his death, including outsiders. Only God can reward him.
A great carity giver – Alhaji Oluwatoyin Olarongbe (First son): He was a great charity giver and people should learn from him that it is good to show concern about the welfare of one’s nuclear and extended family.
He epitomises why we should be good to others – Ibrahim Olayinka Elewu (Relative): I was not at the hospital when he died but was called by one of the bothers who was there and we said they should bring him home in the morning for us to notify the elders on the family. In the morning, we went to the Emir’s palace to inform the Emir through the Seriki N’ Salama. He had been sick for some time and was flown to India for treatment last August and since then, he has been in and out of the hospital before Allah (SWT) finally took him.
When I heard, I couldn’t compose myself because he was central to the continuous sustenance and development of the family and community. He was the Driver to Emir Zulqarnain, the father of the incumbent Emir who compensated him with the title of Seriki N’Driver for his loyalty, industriousness and effectiveness. He experienced no accident as the driver of the Emir. He epitomised why we need to be good to our fellow human beings irrespective of whether they are close to us or not.
He left a big vacuum – AbdulRasheed Elewu (Relative): He was a man of wealth and popularity since childhood. It’s only Allah we can beseech to assist and stand by us in this time of great need. He was a pillar in the family and he represented many things. We know his demise has left a very wide vacuum but we trust God. But it is very difficult to quantify his contributions to the wellbeing of the family and only God can fill such gap.
