By Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir
How time flies, a year ago, the symbolic Ile-Arugbo was demolished by Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq administration. So desperate was this vendetta borne out of pettiness and hatred that it had to be carried out during midnight and without a court order. So impatient was the governor that he wrecked the once standing building to the ground. Thereafter, the contest of legality to erect the building in the first place followed. It came as a shock to both friends and enemies of the Sarakis, most importantly, the citizens of the state who didn’t envisage the Governor would go that far in settling the strife between the Abdulrazaqs and Sarakis, and the battle of supremacy.
A year has already passed, every situation they say brings a lesson. Before this moment in Kwara State, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki had always cared for the aged, he took it as a responsibility he owed humanity, he was a man who shares in the despair and plight of his people. This kind of nature was to be inherited by his protégé and children, who saw how dear this singular act was to their father. There are many tales of how happy their father usually is in the midst of these women, the laughter, the dance, and the love they showed towards him.
This act was to later get politicized and accompanied by the myth that they were being used for rituals and sacrificed. When this failed, the narrative was tailored towards the slavery of these women, tagging a mother of other people slaves is the lowest level of pettiness anyone can embark on.
Politics must be funny, especially in a state like ours, where nearly everything is politicized. It must also be difficult to be a politician in this state, as no singular action of yours can be separated from politics or tagged as goodwill. Kwara comes with a lot of lesson in handy, our politics is not only complex, but it is also affecting even the air that blows in the state, opinions become fact and reality without cross-checking, neither do we keep quiet on issues we lack knowledge or adequate fact on.
The dream of Baba Saraki inherited by his children was highly politicized, mystified and some people believed in legend than reality. A dream that lived despite being tagged as stomach infrastructure, ritual, slavery among others. AA himself must have been influenced by this legend and myth than his conviction – that the building needed to be razed to the ground. A year has passed, yet with the absence of the building, the Sarakis continue to get in touch with old women both in cash and kind, food items among others. Is it not funny that what most Kwarans advocated for, that people in the diaspora should come and also contribute like the Sarakis are doing materialized in 2020?
That politics and governance are beyond being isolated at the government house and one man at the helm of affairs. Community development can only be achieved through collective efforts and throwing all differences aside but picking the people of the state above all interest. Despite the dismissal from affairs of the state, the Sarakis still hold the people of the state dearly. Sometimes goodwill prevails above evil, sometimes a good person may suffer and be booed by his people, but he must still love them because they are his people. Sometimes one may be a leader like Samson and the people will still beg God for a King. In the end, people are just people that must be loved and never vexed at.
Despite the intention to frustrate Bukola Saraki, efforts to repaint the function of that building through deceit and lies, the determination to assist the age is yet to be defeated. In the end, both government and more individuals are giving attention to the age, it is becoming important that they must be catered and cared for. Unavoidable politics was played on Ile-Arugbo, but there is a reason why Tiger has a stripe and a Lion has a mane, they are not to be messed with. Saraki remains undiscouraged and unshakeable. Bukola Saraki once again proves that nothing is difficult, whatever comes is merely a challenge.
As a private citizen, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki has consistently reaching out to these aged and vulnerable people despite the demolition of Ile-Arugbo at their various domains.
Even early this morning, Saraki has made provision for food items and money to be distributed to the aged people in their respective homes.
Conclusively, with the right amount of power, we can now all agree that every man is dangerous. The belief of the Sarakis was not defeated by emotions. False knowledge itself is more dangerous than ignorance, that is the case of Ile-Arugbo demolition.
Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir is the Press Officer (Home Matters) at Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office
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