By Soliu Woru Mohammed
First, I want to give kudos to members of the House of Assembly for your efforts on development, Allah will help you in the onerous task of developing Kwara State.
I wish to make three things very clear in my humble and patriotic submissions before this Hallowed Chamber today. I want to shed more light on why Kwarans must appreciate what is now happening to the state, the fulfilment of the change mantra and the careful handling of the present for a more fulfilling tomorrow.
Since inception of office, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has proved a point, very positive, that he understands the garb of administration and developmental politics. His pragmatism, promotion of gender friendly policies and his inclusiveness have made him the toast leader of the people. No one in his sane disposition would not welcome this as a positive development and an illumination for a better society. Governor Abdulrazaq went a step further; he stood his ground against petty sentiment. He acted contrary to the fear that he would do away with some past officials of government who had worked with previous administrations. In his words “You people did not offend me”. He also admirably retained those alleged to have been employed without following due process whom he described as “as part of us”. These and other steps of the Governor have personally won my heart and admiration for him.
On this note, I therefore want to appeal to the Kwara State House of Assembly to rescind its action on the bill aimed at changing the name of the Kwara State owned university from Olusola Saraki University at Malete in Moro Local Government of Kwara North senatorial district if the new name for the University was a genuine purpose. That action, I must say, was to give honour to an illustrious son of Kwara State for his positive exploits to put the State and indeed Ilorin Emirate on a pride map in the country. If we must refresh our memory, late Dr Olusola Saraki was the Senate Leader during the country’s First Republic. It was a tough time of very serious-minded and calculated opposition by members of the UPN led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo. As Senate Leader then; Chief Olusola Saraki proved his mantle and did Kwara a great honour by living up to the expectation of his exalted positive.
Again, his exploits to uplift the state and its indigenes would readily come to mind when we view the role that he played in redirecting the career course of many Kwarans, notably among the Ilorin Emirate. Before he raised the political consciousness here, majority of our people in Kwara central were teachers. But the former Senate Leader thought outside the box, urged majority to switch to the core civil service sector which produced most of the present key actors in Kwara politics today. Late Dr Olusola Saraki provided the selfless leadership many governors and legislators at the national and state levels, key political actors, bureaucrats and technocrats copied to advance the cause of their people. Such beneficiaries are too numerous to mention. The late Oloye as he was fondly addressed by supporters was a highly destabilised statesman and sponsored people every year on Holy Pilgrimage to Mecca and Jerusalem.
Again, there are many reasons why he, late Chief Olusola Saraki merited the name of the University. It was during the son’s regime that the idea of the university was conceived, it was during the period that its foundation was laid and the entire structure and the functionality were effected.
It is notable that Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the people’s leadership choice did not come on board because of sentiment, but people liked him and neither did he mount the rostrum because he likes some people and hates some others. Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq came on the threshold of divine providence, and as ordained to have a re-ordered society for peace, harmony and development to reign in Kwara.
Hence, all hands should work with him and imbibe same spirit of transparency, fairness, justice and equity. We must give honours to those for who they are due in order to lay good example for today and posterity.
In Ogun State, we have Moshood Abiola College of Education. Also, we have Obafemi Awolowo University and there is Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, to mention just a few, all established to remember and honour their heroes past so that their toils, sacrifices, sufferings and efforts would not go in vain.
It is not saying that heroes didn’t make any mistake while on earth. No, no one hero was a saint while on earth. What societies only do is to exemplify their positive sides for posterity. Late Dr Olusola Saraki while on earth impacted many lives so positively which explained the reasons why he became a rallying force during his lifetime and the reason for the peoples love for him that knew no bound. He built many templates in government, religion and development that would continue to be reference points.
As impactful a life he lived, his records of achievements cannot be allowed to be marred by any mistake whether in personal clime or in the corridor of power. He worked and acted for the common good, particularly in the service of humanity. Late chief Olusola Saraki built institutions; he built people and did Kwara State proud in many ways.
Even the contentious Ile-Arugbo must be viewed alongside this line of observation. It is a place where the aged are made to converge, where humanitarian aids are doled out to them. It is not to access the quality and quantity of what is given. But more often the beneficiaries smiles back home.
Even if this is the only benefit that a parcel of land offers to us, as a service point for humanity, it is a worthy reason to let it off the hook of the law.
Since we are all Kwarans and of course Nigerians, it is incumbent on us to be our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. If the parcel of land is revoked from the Saraki’s, it may signal an end to the usual largesse that comes the way of the downtrodden who benefits from the feature. One must therefore plead with the authorities to overlook and allow the status quo.
This new political dispensation, all Kwarans both government and governed must pride in inclusiveness, all facets of our lives in peace mongering, development advocacy and in unity and collectively. We must all foster the spirit of total reconciliation for us to reach our destination as a people.
The present bill under reference if passed can be rightly or wrongly misconstrue by some people to be vengeance or malicious. It must therefore be discarded with in the interest of our people, peace and harmony.
Perhaps the electorates will be happy if laws that could better the condition of the living, provide qualitative education, portable drinkable water, good road network are enacted by our honourable lawmakers. These are the oxygen of good governance.
I wish to put on record Sirs/Mrs., that this observation is purely mine, I am not being sponsored by anybody or group, I just make my observation as a patriotic Kwaran and I believe we all must think together and support the government and all dully constituted authorities to make Kwara State a promised land for all of us, particularly our children for today and tomorrow.
Mohammed, a Ph.D holder is the Magaji Nda of Ilorin with PGD in Journalism and Public Relations and diploma in Criminology
