Date: 2016-03-28

Let me begin by reiterating the fact that I am a bona fide Kwaran that can neither be cowed nor cajoled to overlook criminals hiding beneath the cocoon of corruption; and it is worthy of note to categorically state that I'm often times self-consciously aware of the position from which I write-the ideology which drives my resolve to put pen to paper wouldn't allow me to take sides with an egoistic criminal, even if he dons carapace of a Kwaran commando.

It is disheartening to discover that some readers kicked up a fuss of my letter which they considered as aptly confrontational and rudely subjective, in defence of the Red Ant in the national kola nut. Perhaps, they would have seen it as a call for an even-handed condemnation of corruption, provided its poignantly prescient postscript was published by Ilorin.Info web page. Let me therefore reiterate the fact that my letter is in no way a literary step to help insulate the allegations levelled again the Senate President by the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

If one is actually in full possession of all his faculties, he would, in all honesty, understand that my letter was written while bearing in mind how magnitude the alleged infractions by the Senate President. With no move to defend or exonerate anyone, the letter is distinct from merely making a mountain out of a molehill. And whoever is endowed with an interest in literature would endeavour to make a prompt appraisal of the Prof's poem and juxtapose it with the content of my letter to the Vice-Chancellor, KWASU, based on the principles of peace in a pluralist society; then it would be known that I am not aiding Saraki's alleged ills as wrongly insinuated by some readers.

As a Muslim writer, I frown at the idea of creating slanted scenes mainly to deter students from reconsidering all sides of an event before coming to conclusions on any matter. I frown at the failure of the celebrated critic to apply similar set of principles when the anti-corruption hounds charged at the Jagabanic juggernauts on the other side of the divide. I frown at the manner in which he, while donning the gab of candid critic, cherrypicks who is to be disparagingly lampooned and who (with executive privileges) is to be undeservedly lauded. ''What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander'' no longer applies amidst the literati?

For those who are able to look beneath the surface, the Leader's case before the Code of Conduct Tribunal is questionable (in respect to its timing). Mind you, this is not to say that the allegations are fabricated. But we all must unanimously call for the even-handed castigation of all corrupt politicians; but some people are hell bent to apply the proverbial rule of condemning the Red Ant in a kola just because it can neither be eaten nor sold at a time they feel famished to feast upon the kola.

They are of the view that the 'alien' in the Red Chamber must get viciously banished, because he would never bow before the 'Babas'. Ironically, even the so-called Babas are not themselves in any moral positions to tell the Red Ant how greedily gluttonous it is; for they only struggle to put themselves in that position as a moral judge, while stealthily searching for the kola to consume. Yes Kokoro-j'obi j'obi (kola-ant) must be crushed; but the motive for its crushing must be based on a pedestal of sincerity.

I have given, in my letter, a smattering of advice for the school management to pull on in order to prevent the stoking of public outrage that betrays a generation of burden writers in KWASU should they insist on hosting the aforementioned festival.

For those who have recommended that I read more of Osundare's books; if I ever find myself in the mood for reading ridiculously smeary critiques, I will probably take to your instructive recommendations; but not without carving time out of my busy schedules to put pen to paper in order to write a rejoinder each for all titles.

Sheriff Olanrewaju is the author of 'The Porcupine and the Pompous Professor' and an observant opinion writer from Ilorin-South.