Date: 2014-09-20

My attention has been drawn to an online article sponsored by the so called president of Orisun Igbomina, one Gbenga Awoyale, wherein he stated that SENATOR BUKOLA SARAKI did not deemed it fit to visit the late Afolayan when he was sick for close to three weeks. ?He further stated that "how on earth would Bukola and Ahmed abandon Afolayan while he needed their assistance most?.

While I deemed it not appropriate and morally expedient to join issues with Gbenga Awoyale over the painful death of Prince Yemi Afolayan whom I equally had the privilege and opportunity to closely work with by virtue of my working relationship with Senator Bukola Saraki in the last few years, ?I equally believed that the death of Yemi Afolayan should not be a subject of political discourse especially with someone who lacks both mental and moral reasoning to discern that this is a period of sober reflection for all Kwarans irrespective of party affiliations or one's closeness to the deceased and his family.

However, in view of hypocritical comments and spurious allegation made by Awoyale against the person of Senator Saraki and considering the ulterior motive to mislead and misguide the general public on the roles played by Senator Saraki as an individual and as a Leader of APC in Kwara State before, during and after the demise of Prince Yemi Afolayan, I deemed it pertinent to respond accordingly and put the devil to shame.

For the purpose of putting things straight to avoid dissemination of canard information to the public, it is important to strongly rebuke the accusations of Awoyale who ckaims to speak for the group. If Awoyale has been a keen observer of Kwara political structure built by the Late Oloye and upheld by Distinguished Senator Bukola Saraki, he will agree with me that the political structure is built on absolute welfare for the people irrespective of the class, religion, relationship or political affiliation; this has remained the foundation in which the structure has been striving. If the welfarism in this structure could intensively cater for everyone, why will it ignore its own son, Afolayan?

Senator Bukola Saraki has been there for Afolayan for over a decade, he has been privileged by God to help Afolayan and many others not only on medical ground but on varying issues as one of his closest office holders who served Kwara State in many capacities. Since God knows what no one knows, when Afolayan ailment began, the distinguished senator has been there for him, not only on financial ground but with prayers and moral upliftment to ensure normal state of his health at the shortest time; I am personally in the know and also involved in handling some of financial assistance made by the distinguished senator in helping the deceased while he was alive, thus the claim that he was abandoned for three weeks is nothing but baseless. Senator Saraki was in touch with Afolayan till few days to his divine call by Almighty. No doubt, Sen. Saraki has been blessed by God and he does not belong to the class of those who publicize the financial aid given to people; he inherently helps people as an act of appreciating God’s blessings on his life and also giving back to the society. And no doubt, he will continue to render such assistance to all and sundry irrespective of social class, relationship, religious or party affiliation.

It is therefore shameful and highly embarrassing that Gbenga Awoyale and his cohorts are trying to score political points with the death of Prince Yemi Afolayan, this goes to show his state of mind and level of reasoning. Human life should not be the basis for throwing political blames. Senator Saraki did all he could as human being for Prince Yemi Afolayan to stay alive. If money keeps people alive, going by the financial support from Senator Saraki to Afolayan, he should be alive today, but unfortunately the cold hands of death took him away from us.

It is a great loss to Kwara APC, a heartfelt pain for Senator Saraki, particularly at this period when we are working together for change to higher levels in Kwara where Afolayan is a major stakeholder. Therefore, the departure of anyone of us is not our desire, young or old. I believe we should all learn a lesson from this that while paying our last respect to the dead, we should all come together at this point in time and look after Afolayan's family, his wife, children, aged mother and pray that the Lord fill the vacuum created by his departure.

May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.

Gbenga Makanjuola is Chief of Staff to Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki