Open Letter to AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq: That Your Name is Not Invoked to Represent Tyranny and Despotism

By Wahab Oba

Your Excellency,

The mantle of leadership carries immense responsibility, not just towards the fulfillment of political promises but towards the well-being of the people whose lives are impacted by every decision we make. It is in light of this that I write to you, with a heavy heart, to appeal for reflection on the renewed path of destruction you have chosen.

The demolition of Ile Arugbo, the political home of the Saraki family and an important political landmark, almost four years ago, was interpreted by many not as a step toward state development but as an act of retribution. The more recent demolitions of lockup shops have left families devastated. These shops were the lifelines of everyday Kwarans—fathers, mothers, youths, and breadwinners—who now find themselves not only homeless in terms of business but also with no foreseeable source of income. The resultant hunger and poverty are consequences too heavy to ignore. While you may argue that these actions are lawful, it is imperative to ask: has due process duly followed? Was there fair notice, reasonable compensation, and a genuine effort to find alternative means of livelihood for those affected at a time when Nigerians were already groaning under the burden of fuel price increases?

Now, it’s Hon. Mashood Mustapha’s Crystal Mall, simply because of political and business differences. While the law must be upheld and the development of the state is paramount, one can not help but question whether vengeance and personal vendettas have become the driving forces behind these decisions. Would you have done the same if MM was still with you? Overnight, you brought down a lifetime investment of over a billion naira, housing businesses where families earn their livelihoods. Your Excellency, if this is not wickedness, what then is it? Now, let’s assume, without conceding, that the complex was demolished to make way for a car park—what sense does that make?

While the entire Kwara South has almost been completely overwhelmed by the scourge of kidnapping, with most traditional rulers abandoning their domains in fear for their lives, Your Excellency seems to be more focused on vengeance. Farmers have abandoned their farmlands, and the looming threat of hunger now casts a dark shadow over the state. Instead of addressing these grave concerns, actions that further disempower the people seem to be your priority. The people look to their leadership for peace and security, not punishment.

The civil servants are in dire need of a living wage and a conducive working environment. While critical issues affecting people remain unaddressed, the emphasis on destruction creates more harm than good.

It is unfortunate, Your Excellency, that you appear to have no one in your close circle who can look at your face to give you a true sense of how the people feel. The majority of your aides seem either naive or inexperienced, offering no substantive counsel that could steer you toward the kind of leadership that listens and empathizes with the plight of the people.

“Astonishingly, one of your abusive aides, who shows no respect for age, class, or achievements, wrote: ‘The governor has no history of appropriating public property for himself or his family. What he has done, within the law, is courageously reclaim for Kwarans what rightly belongs to them.’ Yet, this same aide has not found it necessary to inform Kwarans which bank holds the over N17 billion balance of the N27.9billion bond you secured. Nor has he prompted you to explain how the N5 billion renovation proposal for Kwara Hotel suddenly inflated to N17.8billion. What an irony!”

This disconnect has widened the gap between the government and the governed, leaving many Kwarans frustrated, unheard, and even more desperate.

Furthermore, those who stood at the forefront of the O To Ge revolution that brought you to power have been discarded for personal reasons. Many of these individuals who once passionately championed the cause of change now find themselves sidelined and marginalized. This alienation extends even to members of the National Assembly from our state, many of whom are no longer on the same page with your despotic style of leadership. This deepening divide is alarming. Even our traditional rulers, the custodians of our culture and values, now live in fear of speaking to you—something unprecedented in the history of Kwara State.

It is time for critical stakeholders in the community, including the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), the umbrella body of the Emirate, and other influential voices, to rise and speak out against these actions. The silence that followed the demolition of Ile Arugbo has brought us to this point. If we do not voice our concerns now, who knows who or what will be next? Yesterday, it was the Sarakis and the traditional rulers. Today, it is Mashood Mustapha, and tomorrow, it could be anyone. If we remain silent, we only embolden further acts of destruction, and the consequences will fall on all of us. Remaining silent while the governor commits crimes against the people makes one complicit.

Your Excellency, we must remember that life is transient, and power is fleeting. As leaders, we are custodians of the people’s trust, and above all, we are accountable before a greater judgment—the throne of Almighty Allah. Regardless of how justified you may feel in your actions, the consequences they bear on the lives of ordinary Kwarans will not go unnoticed. Destruction breeds resentment, and resentment erodes the very foundation of good governance.

I appeal to you as a leader, a father, and a servant of the people to reconsider this path of destruction. Kwara does not need more destruction; it needs building. Building trust, building livelihoods, and building a legacy that will stand the test of time. A legacy that uplifts, rather than tears down. It is through construction—of infrastructure, of opportunities, and of bridges between government and the people—that you will truly be remembered.

There is still time to turn things around. Instead of razing structures, empower those who have lost. Seek alternative, creative ways to develop the state without leaving innocent people in anguish. The throne of power may be temporary, but the impact you leave on people’s lives will last forever.

As Kwarans, we are resilient and hopeful, but we look up to leadership that leaves us united. May you find wisdom in this appeal, and may your actions from here onward reflect the values of justice, fairness, and compassion that are the true hallmarks of great governance. Only these will ensure that you will not be remembered in the history of our community as one of the most feared figures, and your name is not invoked to represent tyranny and despotism.

Today, Roman Emperor Nero and Adolf Hitler are remembered only for their extremism, cruelty, persecution, and brutal policies during their reigns.

Your Excellency, thread softly, the land is slippery.

Sincerely,

Wahab Oba