As usual, the latest brew from Is'haq Modibbo Kawu's pot of half-truth delivered through his column in the Vanguard newspaper, leaves a trend and trail of garnished falsehood. Moddibo's case readily reminds one of the pitiable situation of a stammerer, who rather than learn how to talk slowly so he can be understood, decides to gargle and garble at the same time.

In the last six months, Moddibo has written six opinions all about Kwara State such that a curious mind would wonder if the column is all about Kwara. Worse still, his take is not about making Kwara, his home, a better place for all, but usually direct attacks and unsubstantiated allegations against Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS). One would have expected that for a cerebral individual, it would have been a huge opportunity to reach out and speak on many issues bedeviling the nation and ordinary Nigerians by proffering solutions to issues, but Moddibo seems to have a different idea and a warped one at that about the role of a columnist.

Somehow, today, it might not be out of place if a reader asked if the column was dedicated to Kwara and ABS! Or, perhaps, wonder if he has agreement to use the platform to discuss ONLY Saraki, week-in-week-out . Else, how can one explain the fact that Moddibo is fast breaking media records as the only known columnist in Nigeria with only ONE SUBJECT and ONE TOPIC to talk about! Really, even a researcher seeking a chair in the university would have diversified focus to demonstrate inter-disciplinary competence to get his or her award!

To underscore Moddibo's vacuity of intelligence and elementary history, in his penchant to create a monster out of Saraki, he muddled up several facts about the nomination of ministers. Just for the record, Dr. Abubakar Olanrewaju Suleiman, was not the first minister from Kwara State who would not be appointed by Saraki or come from the Saraki political dynasty. There was Hajia Aminat Ndalolo, who was nominated by the former Chief of Staff to President Olusegun Obasanjo, though it is public knowledge that the Sarakis contributed to Obasanjo's emergence. What about Princess Funke Adedoyin, who was a candidate of then Vice President Atiku Abubakar. His memory is too blur to remember Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo who emerged from the ranks of pro-democracy activists?

By this, therefore, there is no such thing as victory in the appointment of Suleiman by people who are not working with ABS. And in any case, how would he have been appointed without the input of ABS if the federal lawmaker was still with the PDP? If ABS was still working with the ruling party to appropriate our collective resources for the benefit of a few in the name of oil theft, he would still have got the nod to present a candidate. Even at that, his candidate, who was nominated from the rank and file and later removed in a fit of political anger, would have still been there. But Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) is above petty politics.

Moddibo's misfiring did not stop at that. It is so sad to read what Moddibo, who belongs to the group of privileged elite whose agenda is to dominate the rest of us because of our humble background, also dished out to the public as knowledge of the state of education in Kwara State. While admitting that no human institution is perfect, the picture as painted by Moddibo so clearly contradicts what is available on ground. The once in a year visit by Moddibo can definitely not afford him a good grasp of real situation in the state. The every child counts policy of the Saraki administration in the state, which was endorsed by both the Department for International Development, (DFID), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, (UNESCO), remains a road map for Nigeria’s education advancement.

Those familiar with this situation would continue to wonder whether Moddibo's unceasing attack on ABS could be because Saraki, as governor, refused to provide funds for the floating of his proposed multi-million naira printing press after he lost his job at Daily Trust. Surely, many of those he used to pester the former governor, would not forget the forlorn look on his face when it became apparent that ABS was not going to divert millions of naira in public fund for a private engagement. And, so if for that reason, Moddibo remains a life-time-ABS-critic, so be it.

The Saraki, I know, has paid the school and examination fees of some of our indigent pupils. Just as his father, Oloye, rehabilitated a number of community schools in the state. While building rural roads, health centres and empowering numerous number of Kwarans, the younger Saraki also embarked on an unprecedented community development projects, yet the likes of Moddibo who has contributed nothing to their communities see nothing good in ABS.

It is good to drum into Moddibo's ears, as well as into the ears of those he has been milking through his 'shop' of jaundiced writings that if they think by turning the truth head down, they will effect any change in Kwara State, they are clearly wrong. The kind of change Kwarans and entire Nigerians crave for is the type that seeks to explain where the stolen oil money go into. How millions of youths cannot secure employment after painstakingly studying in the universities only for government not to have a well-designed programme of job generation.

Truth which Moddibo and his co-travellers have refused to see is the fondness and bond between ABS and the Kwara people. A bond built on trust and people-based policies, and not the ranting of some self-seeking gang, who only come to Kwara to seek votes only during election times. Dr. Saraki does not visit home once in four years or pay hospital bills or distribute food items only during election period, but during and after elections; almost daily and there is no pretence about it.

One last appeal to Moddibo is that: if you so much care about the people of Kwara, then use your column to raise issues that will help Kwarans. There are general issues such as the level of unemployment and what the federal government can do to help. You should help Kwarans put the question of whether a state must be under the control of PDP before the people can enjoy basic entitlements as Nigerians, to the federal government?

Sikiru Adebayo, a social critic, wrote from Ilorin, Kwara State.