By AbdulGaniyu Dele
The news of the demolition of Olusola Saraki Library, Agbooba-Ilorin was received with shock and sympathy (not for Saraki family but) for Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, who doesn’t appear to see beyond today.
The Library, built in the 1990s by a legally constituted Ilorin West Local Government Council, had been used by Students in the neighbourhood of Agbooba, including University of Ilorin mini campus Students living in the area. The usefulness of the Structure cannot be over-emphasised. A lot of former students have testified to the benefits they derived from the Library.
In the wisdom of the initiators, the Library was named after the late sage, His Eminence Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki, most probably because of his contributions to humanity generally, and particularly because of his patronage for Education. Baba Saraki was known to have awarded scholarship to many indigent Nigerians to study both in Nigeria and Overseas.
Any thing bad is bad. For want of a more serious appellation, I say that the demolition of Olusola Saraki Library is bad, vindictive and self-serving. The afterthought explanation that Government wants to rebuild the Library in the name of Olusola Saraki is balderdash, deceptive and unacceptable.
If one may ask, What is the relationship between Governor AbdulRasaq and the Saraki family that will justify an assertion that Government wants to rebuild a Structure in the name of Olusola Saraki?
Is the Government re-building the Library like it did ‘Ile Arugbo’?
Can Government publicly display the drawings and approved plans of the new Structure to be built?
Can the Government show the public where a provision was made in the 2021 budget for the rebuilding of Olusola Saraki Library in Agbooba?
And why did the Government fail to inform the public about the proposed demolition and rebuilding of Sola Saraki Library in advance of the demolition exercise?
These and several other questions go to explain that there are negative, sinister intentions behind the demolition exercise.
If Government genuinely has serious concern for the use of Libraries, why can’t Government renovate Sola Saraki Library and build a bigger one elsewhere?
Kwarans are no fools. They cannot be deceived. The ‘noble’ intention of the Government for demolishing the Library can easily be deciphered by discerning Kwarans. One only wants to sound a note of caution on the person of Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki.
In about four decades of his relationship with the people of Kwara State (including parts of present Kogi and Niger States), Dr Olusola Saraki, through his philanthropy, entrenched himself in the minds of the people and contributed immensely to the welfare and wellbeing of several people and Communities. Today, in death, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki stands stoutly in Kwara State like the famous ‘mountain of Gilbralta’. His name and his contributions cannot be easily demolished within eight years, not even within eight terms of eight years each.
In spite of all the foregoing, I still want to believe that Government truly pulled down the Library with the intention of replacing it with a better edifice in the name of His Eminence Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki. In order to prove Cynics and Critics wrong, I enjoin Government to commence work immediately and complete the Edifice before the end of the 2021 fiscal year. This is the only grace available to Government, otherwise; people will continue to insinuate that the Government of AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq is out to demolish anything Saraki in Kwara State. We have already seen two examples in Ile Arugbo and the Library.
If, however, people’s insinuation is correct, I will assist in pointing out several other Structures for demolition. Let us start from the gate named after the man in Ilorin Central Mosque.
On a more serious note, when things go wrong in the Society, we usually call on the Government of the day to intervene; but when the misdemeanour involves the Government, we may have to go to the roots of the key participants in such Government to seek their intervention. It is for this reason that I humbly call on the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) to intervene in this matter before things become irreconcilable.
He who owns today may not own tomorrow. Governor AbdulRasaq will not remain Governor for life. Constitutionally, he has a maximum of 8 years to be on the seat; and that is, on condition that the people of Kwara State renew his mandate after 4 years. So, he will leave the seat and become powerless one day. What happens thereafter?.
If Saraki family is not interested in revenge, Saraki’s allies and friends including those who have benefited from the benevolence of Saraki Dynasty may, in future, decide to visit former Governor AbdulRasaq with similar ‘coins’. It is in the bid to prevent this not unlikely situation, which will certainly be unpleasant, that I say that IEDPU must speak.
AbdulGaniyu Dele, one time member of the Kwara State Executive Council, writes from Oyun LGA.
