Opinion: Much ado about Saraki and Kwara,By Sikiru Adebayo

Date: 2014-09-03

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.

Source

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

MMWG     IYA YUSUF     Abdulrazaq Adebayo     Olabode Towoju     Prince Mahe Abdulkadir     Rasaq Jimoh     Government House     Segun Abifarin     Ogidi-Oloje     Jumoke Gafar     Isiaka Oniwa     Mohammed Haruna     Jide Oyinloye     Old Oyo     Abdulrauf Yusuf     Yoonus Lawal     Dele Belgore     Yusuf Amuda Gobir     Kwara State Coalition Of Business And Professional Associations     Tsado Manman     Babatunde Ajeigbe     Abatemi Usman     Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants     Ojuekun     ASKOMP     Ayobami Seriki     Economic And Financial Crimes Commission     AbdulRazaq Jiddah     20 Billion Bond     Olabimpe Olani     TESCOM 2025     Elewu     Mutawali     NULGE     AbdulGaniyu Kareem     Ibrahim Oloriegbe     Awoye     Muslim Stakeholders Of Kwara State     Idris Garuba     Kwara Primary Health Care Development Agency     Amuda Aluko     Ojo Isekuse     Apado     Jimoh Lambe Abdulkareem     FERMA     Lawal Jimoh     Lucky Omoluwa     Ibrahim Labaika     Usman Yunusa     Awili Pedro     Ado Bayero     Ajikobi     Hausa     Aminat Omodara     Elerin Of Adanla Irese     Oba Abdulraheem     IFK     Folaranmi Aro     Ogbondoroko     NSCIA     Isaac Aderemi Kolawole     Tinubu     Communication Network Support Services     Aliyu Muhammed     Lawan     Idowu Aremu     Sam Okaula     Olatunde Jare     Tanke Road     Raji Ayodele Kamaldeen     Garba Ado Sanni     Ahmed Alhasssan     AGF Abdulrazaq     Ahmad Fatima Bisola     Ayoade Akinnibosun     Amule Elementary School     Ibrahim Taiwo    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Ilesha-Gwanara     Junior Secondary School Certificate Examinations     Ibrahim Agboola Gambari     Hussein Olokooba     Henry Olaosebikan     Azeez Bello     Esinniobiwa Quareeb     Olusin Of Ijara Isin     Yusuf Abubakar     New Naira Notes     Muhammed Mahe Abdulkadir     Taofik Abdulkareem Babaita     Amina Susa\'a De Ahmed     April 11     Segun Olawoyin     Jawondo     Aliyu Kora-Sabi     MAI Akande     Anilelerin     Harafat E. Mukadam     IF-K     Okin Biscuits     Shade Omoniyi     Ibrahim Issa Jetti     Kwha.gov.ng     Fatimat Saliu     Solomon Edoja     Muazam Nayaya     AbdulFatai Adeniyi Dan-Kazeem     Mogaji Aare     ASUU     Abdulquowiyu Olododo     Shehu Jimoh     FERMA     Kunle Suleiman     ANCOPPS     Olatomiwa Williams     Budo-Egba     Olatunji Ayeni     Y.A. Abdulkareem     Age AbdulKareem     Convocation Ceremonies     Muhammad Ghali Alaaya     Memunat Monsuma     Shuaib Jawondo     Tunde Yusuf     Share-Tsaragi     Sidikat Akaje     Hausa     Bola Olukoju     Ekweremadu     Olatunji Ibrahim     Na\'Allah     Ahman Pategi     Mufti Of Ilorin     Kwara Liberation Group     Haliru Yahaya     Amule     Kwarareports.com     Congress For National Consensus     Salihu Alhaji Musa     Salman Alada     Al-Hikmah University     Abdulrazak Shehu Akorede     Opolo Global Innovation Limited     Ayodele Kuburat Olaosebikan     Kumbi Titilope     Kwara-SAPZ Project     Tanke Road     Ahmad Lawan     ER-KANG Mining     Ilorin Emirate Stakeholders Forum     Bilikisu Oniyangi     Mike Omotosho     Abdulrauf Aliyu     General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport Ilorin     Alao Ayotunde