Date: 2014-08-02

As I watched our dear Golden Blessing Okagbare clinch a double gold medal at the on going Common Wealth games in Glasgow, Scotland and the tantalizing victory dance of young Odunola Akinkuoroye,the female wrestling gold medal winner, I begin to wonder where has gone the golden era of my dear state in sports ?

As expected in his recent usual manner,the self acclaimed political leader of Kwara, Senator Bukola Saraki, will take to the social media after the games to congratulate Nigerians and the athletes for their feats. But I, like so many other right thinking Kwarans, will not be swayed by his message and will rather tell him to bury his head in shame for plunging not just sports but even education in Kwara into an abyss.

Not only should Saraki be ashamed but, so also should his erstwhile Commissioner of Education and Minister of Sports, Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi.

Education, like we all know is the bedrock of thriving sporting activities and Kwara like other states of Bendel (Edo/Delta), Lagos, Rivers, Oyo, Ondo (Ekiti) etc were leading forces but, unfortunately while these other states are still having it good, my dear Kwara has been relegated to the background; all to the glory of over a decade of maladministration of Bukola Saraki and his co-travelers.

Between 1979 and 1999, Kwara had 3 elected governors under which our Education Sector was adequately funded and academic performance was excellent. This resulted in breeding sharp minded and active young men and women in sports. It is on record that in this era our education system produced several young men and women that represented the state at various national meets and the country at international competitions in sports. They include :
* Athletics ;
Olapade Adeniken - C&S College
Baba Malik - GHS
Taiye Akinremi. - QES
Titi Agboko. -QES
Perpetual Clement
Tunji Morounfoye
Kehinde Aladefa
Taiye Aladefa
Omolade Akinremi. -St. Anthony's
Late Sunday Bada. -St. Anthony's
* Squash Rackets ;
Bolakale Magaji. -GSS
Tunji Magaji. -GSS
Moses Olubo. -
Tunde Yahya. -GSS
Isiaka Magaji. -Ansar-Ul Islam. Sec. Sch
Dayo Oyewusi. -QES
Bilkis Magaji. -QES
* Table Tennis ;
Sule Olaleye. - C&S College
Bolaji Niniola. - C&S College
Dayo Oyewusi. - QES
Anthony. - Mount Carmel
* Football ;
Taofik Babatunde -GHS
Lateef Alanamu. -GSS
Dele Abubakar. -GSS
Jimoh Balogun. -GHS
Nasir Adedigba. -GSS
Olu Olorunyomi. -IGS
The list is endless...

To say the least, it was an era when public schools were not meant for the down trodden. When the sons and daughters of the rich, the politicians and even monarchs were students in our secondary schools. An era when we had Ada Ereiduwa (Son of Oba of Benin) in GSS, Ilorin; Ismaila Adedibu in IGS; Kabir Shehu (Sheu Usman was the speaker,KHA) in GSS; Fatima Sheu in QES; Toye Oyeyimi (Mr Oyeyemi was the state commissioner for education) in GSS,Ilorin; Ladi Gambari (Late Sulu Gambari's) son in GSS; Muhammed Dantoro (Haliru Dantoro's son) in GSS,Ilorin; Tunde Obasa (Obasa was the director of NYSC),GSS. Several daughters of the high and mighty from the north in QES, Ilorin and all other schools scattered across Kwara State. There's no gain saying,education and indeed public schools in Kwara had it good.

Interestingly, what has become of our schools today? Bolaji Abdullahi keeps boasting that he did wonders during his tenure as Education Commissioner but, the recent resolve of the Alumni Association of GSS, Ilorin to raise N1bn for infrastructure development of the school is a clear indictment on the Bukola Saraki led administration in Kwara.

A visit to GSS,Ilorin and all other schools in Kwara clearly exposes the fraud that's been going on unabated in government. SUBEB has become a conduit pipe. Obnoxious contracts are being awarded on a daily basis while the contract sums are allegedly being diverted into private purses and schools left to rot away.

To think that secondary schools that produced Toyin Sanusi, Gani Olododo, Bolaji Abdullahi, Akintoba Fatigun, Tunji Morounfoye, Fatai Ahmed, Zakari Muhammed, Akeem Aiyedun and so many of them in government are rotting away today tells you the kind of leadership they can offer. Would they have prospered in life if those schools were in the appalling states they are today ?

It amuses me to see young Kwarans pointing to KWASU as an achievement of Saraki's government. Well, it could be an achievement to the shallow minded but, for a deep thinking Kwaran, it is an achievement that is far out of reach of an average Kwaran whose resources and taxes were invested in the project.

How many civil servants in Kwara can afford the tuition of KWASU ? 90% of parents of Kwarans in KWASU don't make their earnings in Kwara except for Saraki's allies in government. Do I need to mention the fees of the College Of Aviation? How many years will it take a KWABES or QUICKWIN employee on a salary of 10,000 and 7,500 per month to save in order to send his/her ward to any of these institutions ?