The politics of demolition is taking another dangerous dimension particularly in Kwara state, North Central Nigeria. This is particular true especially with a governor whose campaign slogan during the last election that brought him to power is OTOGE, which when interpreted means enough is enough, and a Saraki political dynasty now led by the scion of the great Olusola Saraki and former governor of the state cum former senate president, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
On September 28,2021, Kwara state found itself once again in national limelight following the uproar that greeted the demolition of a library complex named after the late political icon, Dr Olusola Saraki.
The action of the governor has since rekindled the supremacy battle between the Sarakis and Governor Abdurahman Abdulrazaq.
The emergence of the governor in 2019 ended decades of the reign of the Sarakis in Kwara state. It rather pitched their supporters against each other.
The demolition by the state government of that facility located along Kuntu road in the Agbo-Oba area of Ilorin, which was built by the Ilorin west local government in 2002 is coming about 20 months after the pulling down of the Saraki’s Ile-Arugbo charity home by the state government.
The home which was considered as one of the late Saraki’s legacies is famous for hosting political meetings. The demolition has been a subject of litigations between the Sarakis and the state government. Expectedly, the latest developments has been situated at the realm of political victimizations by the loyalists of the Saraki dynasty, accusing the governor of making frantic efforts to erase late Saraki’s legacies using political vendetta.
However, the governor through his aides known for defending their principal’s actions even though it is not contestable that it is for private rather than public good, has denied such allegations and accused the late Saraki’s children and supporters of whipping-up sentiments to score cheap political point ahead of 2023.
But explaining the reasons for the demolition of the library, the chairman of the transition implementation committee of Ilorin west local government, Abdulgafar Omotosho, said its actions was in response to the community’s plea to save it of criminal elements who have vandalised and turned the place to their hide out. A claim that has conflicted the claims by the state governor which emboldened the resolve of many that the intent for the demolition is purely for political vindictive reasoning.
The properties has been in disuse over the years and in a state of horrible disrepair over the years, agreed. But whose responsibilities is it to repair and put to use public buildings such as this ?.This explaination by the governor is unacceptable and his actions wrong in totality.
The state governor explainations and claims that it has received several appeals from the people to do something over it to give it a face lift and put it to good public use is vexatious and it is against the intergrity which he has preached about over the years.
The explanation by the chairman of the transition implementation committee is more vexatious as it negates public accountability principles. His stated plans about the demolition of the library to make it an ICT centre for the benefit of the people are lies from the pit of hell which no sensible person would accept and believe.
Yes, it is true that the library is the property of Ilorin local governments but it was named after the late political icon as a mark of honour and demolishing it is political vendetta taken so far.
The governor should know that his antics is now in the public sphere and purview especially and particularly as it relates to the library’s demolition simply because the TIC chairman who is his appointee has in his statements debunked the state governor’s claims because he vividly stated that the decision on whether the place would retain the name Saraki or not was subject to the will of people.
Haba, which people and are you planning of conducting a plebiscite to know the wish of the people as it concerns the library naming?
The state governor should remember that posterity would judge him wrong for his actions on this particular issue remembering that the late Saraki is someone everybody in the state benefited from and I think it is not bad if he apologise and reverse his action by rebuilding and quickly retaining the name Saraki on this property housing the library.
The public was glad when the former governor of the state and the scion of the Saraki dynasty, Bukola Saraki reacted to this controversial demolition. He attacked the governor over the development and everybody supported him because his reaction was apt and convincing.
His reaction was followed by that of his younger sister and present Minister of State of Transport, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, a member of the governor’s party, APC, condemning the governor for focusing solely not on building Kwara state but on demolishing properties own and named after her father, Olusola Saraki.
The governor should know that no matter how many legacy structures named after the late Saraki, he destroys, Baba lives in the heart and minds of the great people of Kwara state.
Following the response of the governor’s camp and that of the leaders and supporters of the Saraki dynasty on the matter, investigations conducted shows that the people believes this particular demolition is for political vendetta against the Sarakis.
The people has also requested of the governor to restrain himself of his obsession of totally erasing the dynasty and name of the late Saraki by focusing on developments in all its physicalities. He was reminded that as governor, he belongs to all.
– Musa Wada writes from Abuja.
