Tuesday, December 19, 2023 marks the 61st birthday anniversary of His Excellency, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON. Dr Saraki, a proud son of Ilorin, who was also the penultimate Governor of Kwara State and a former President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, remains the highest ranked elected political office-holder produced by Ilorin Emirate so far and one of its most impactful and accomplished indigenes ever.

From the little I know, Dr Saraki is a passionate patriot who deserves to be celebrated for his contributions to the peace and progress of Ilorin Emirate and particularly towards the development of the umbrella sociocultural organisation of the people of the community, IEDPU, which is my own "constituency".

Dr Saraki hails from a family that has always been populated by illustrious, celebrated and hardworking patriots. The Sarakis are among those who believed so much and always worked for the progress and greatness of the Ilorin Emirate.

As a member (3rd Assistant National Secretary/Recording Secretary) of the National Executive Council of Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) between 2009 and 2013 under the charismatic and honest leadership of the late Justice Saka Yusuf, OFR, a former Chief Judge of Kwara State, I can say that Dr Saraki has always proved his patriotism to Ilorin Emirate. This, he did not just through stimulating philanthropic dispositions but also through other worthy interpersonal attributes.

For instance, many of us were amazed when the report tricked in that Dr Saraki humbly brought himself down to an "unexpected level" while mending the fence with the IEDPU in an unprecedented manner over a misunderstanding orchestrated by some of his overzealous followers more than a decade ago. Dr Saraki visited the late jurist at home where he sought the understanding and forgiveness of the old man and the Union over one of the policies of his immediate successor. He was said to have gone on his knees before the former Chief Judge of Kwara State to ensure that the matter was amicably resolved.

This was despite being one of the strongest patrons and consistent benefactors of IEDPU. I remember his media handler and veteran media technocrat, Yusuf Olaniyonu, telling yours sincerely on the phone, prior to the public presentation of my book, "Ilorin Emirate's Frontliners'', which features the profiles and pictures of the former Senate President, his late father and sister, that IEDPU is very dear to the heart of his principal.

No wonder, Dr Saraki was the first ever Governor of Kwara State who graced the opening ceremony of the annual national conference of the Union. He did so twice. His consistent financial supports to the Union were always mouth-watering. For instance, he once gave the Union a big luxury bus, a decade ago, among other forms of support. The vehicle remains useful to the Union till date.

Dr Saraki, however, took this act of patriotism to a new level last month when he kept many mouths aghast with his multimillion naira support to the newly-established Muhammad Kamalud-Deen University (MKU), Ilorin. It was unexpected and unprecedented in the annals of our community for a single private individual to endow such a whopping amount of money in a private educational institution located on our soil!

The former Senate President, who was accompanied to the event by the Tafida of Ilorin and a former Ag. National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, CON; a former Chairman of the Kwara State Chapter of the Party, Engr. AbdulRauf Kola Shittu; and the new Secretary of the Kwara State chapter of the party, Mr Abdullahi Kayode AbdulRahman, who is incidentally my brother, among others, raised the hope of the stakeholders of the new University with his pledges amounting to N116,000,000:00. The way he spoke and discharged his responsibilities on the occasion reminded those of us who attended the event and knew his late father's wonderful dispositions, legendary generousity and uncommon charisma.

Before the event, I had a fear for the new University. I was not confident that it would attract the support of well-meaning and privileged indigenes of Ilorin Emirate, who are members of its host community.

But Dr Saraki's gesture at the event allayed my fear. I became convinced that the former Senate President may turnout to be who the late Aremo of Offa and Baba Adinni of Kwara State, Prof. Muhammed Jimoh Mosobalaje Oyawoye, CON, was to the Summit University, Offa. Though the Summit University is owned by the centenarian Ansarudeen Society of Nigeria but it was largely built by the Offa community.

Because of his love for Offa, the late Professor turned himself into the chief fund raiser and project facilitator for the Summit University. A perusal of the autobiography of the late first African Professor of Geology, "Path of Destiny", reveals how and what he did as goaded by pure patriotism.

And so, when Dr Saraki announced his support to MKU, which was followed by many others, I was delighted and my wish that the new University should not experience the negligence of the people of Ilorin Emirate became more convincing and assuring.

Aside from his gigantic pledges to the University, his speech at the event was also laced with maturity, wisdom and patriotism. He reminded the audience of the role he played in getting the institution to the level it is. He also promised to always be available for more services as he called on other indigenes of Ilorin to support the University towards making it the best in Nigeria.

I think what he said and did at the event were encouraging and worthy of emulation. They also deserved to be celebrated "for the love of our people". I must confess that it definitely encouraged this piece. This is because the University is not only located in Ilorin but that the people of Ilorin stand to benefit most from it. It is also because it is the first University that would bear the name of an indigene of Ilorin, who was also its pioneer Grand Mufti, Shaykh Muhammad Kamalud-Deen Al-Adabiy, MFR,OFR, ORSA (Egypt), FISN, D.Litt.

Dr Saraki, a medical doctor, banker, politician and community leader, was born on December 19, 1962 in London, United Kingdom. His father was Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki, the third Waziri of Ilorin and the first Senate Leader of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who was also a Member of the popular Agoro family of Agbaji Quarters, Ilorin.

He attended Corona School, Lagos, for his primary education. He was also trained at King's College, Lagos.

This remarkable son of Ilorin, like his illustrious father, was trained as a medical doctor in Great Britain. He attended London Hospital Medical College, University of London, London. Dr Saraki started his career as a Medical Officer at Rush Green Hospital, Essex, England. He also worked as a Senior Casualty Officer at the Royal Free Hospital, London.

He returned to Nigeria in 1987 to join the rested Societe Generale Bank (SGB) after the completion of his mandatory national youth service programme. He rose through the ranks, which culminated in his appointment as a Director in the Bank. Dr Saraki has the record of being the person who introduced Automated Teller Machine (ATM) into the nation's banking industry.

Having been literally born into politics and raised by a father who was a celebrated politician, Dr Saraki joined partisan politics at the beginning of the ongoing political dispensation. He was subsequently appointed as a Special Assistant on Budget Matters by President Olusegun Obasanjo. He held the position between 1999 and 2002 and made his marks.

In 2003, he was elected as the Executive Governor of Kwara State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He served as the Governor of the State from 2003 to 2011. While serving as the Governor, Dr Saraki was appointed as the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum. On his reelection, he was elected by his colleagues from across the nation as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors' Forum. During his tenure as NGF chair, Dr Saraki succeeded in establishing the visibility of the body and turned it into an influential forum of and for national politics and integration.

Following his completion of two terms in office as the Chief Executive of the "State of Harmony" in 2011, Dr Saraki was elected as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He represented Kwara Central Senatorial District at the Upper Legislative House between 2011 and 2015 during which he served as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology.

Dr Saraki was reelected into the Senate after which he was elected by his colleagues as the President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly. He held the office competently between 2015 and 2019.

Like his father, the former Senate President occupies a special place in the history of Ilorin, Kwara State and Nigeria. He remains the youngest person to be elected as the Governor of the State. He is also the first elected Governor of Kwara State who served two terms in office.

Dr Saraki is also the second indigene of the Ilorin Emirate elected as Governor of Kwara State.

At the national level, Dr. Saraki is the first Muslim and the first Yoruba-speaking person who served as the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He was also the first Senate President who occupied the seat without the official endorsement of the ruling political party, which he also belonged to as at the time of his historic election as the number three citizen of this great nation.

The government headed by this distinguished community leader founded and built the Kwara State University, Malete. The location and building of a gigantic power station near Ogbondoroko in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State is another monumental achievement of his tenure, among many other enduring projects and contributions of his across the State.

Dr Saraki was also the propelling force behind the historic remodeling and fascinating reconstruction of the Ilorin Central Jumaat Mosque, which today is often rated as the best in the West African subregion. His late father played a similar role when the initial structure was to be built. The Danmadami of Ilorin, who is also the Chairman of the Central Working Committee of the Mosque, Alhaji Shehu AbdulGafar, OON; in an interview, said that Dr Saraki also provided funds for the completion of the Women Wing of the Mosque, which houses its library.

I was also reliably informed by the Chairman of the Agbaji Mosque Management Committee, who is also the outgoing National President of IEDPU, Alhaji Aliyu Otta Uthman, fsi, that the ex-Senate President bankrolled the total reconstruction of the ancient Mosque for the use of the people of his immediate ancestral community.

In the area of human capital development, the former Senate President "built" many individuals and turned many personalities into prominent national figures. I am aware of the fact that he also used the privilege of his positions to ensure that several indigenes of Ilorin Emirate and Kwara State were employed by the federal government without consideration for political leanings. I know a lady whose husband and herself never shared and still share no political inclinations and philological tendencies with Dr Saraki and who benefited from the appointments facilitated by the former Senate President. The woman is still on the job facilitated by the Waziri Ngeri and has become the breadwinner of her family.

At the community level, this gentleman is the first person who "inherited" two honourary chieftaincy titles previously held by his father. He was appointed the Turaki of Ilorin in 2006, which his late father vacated. He also succeeded his late father as the Waziri of Ilorin in 2018. His illustrious father had held the titles between 1974 and 2006 and from 2006 to 2012, respectively. Dr Saraki equally succeeded his late father as the Baba Adinni of the Ansarul Islam Society of Nigeria.

In appreciation of his contributions to national development, Dr Saraki was granted the honour of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) by the Federal Government of Nigeria during the tenure of the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua. He was, however, decorated with the award by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Dr Saraki, who holds several other honourary and religious chieftaincy titles from within and outside Kwara State, is married to Barrister Toyin Saraki, a daughter to the popular Ojora family of Lagos. They are blessed with children and grandchildren who are also doing very well.

May I, therefore, join other well wishers to wish the Waziri of Ilorin a very peaceful and rewarding birthday and many happy returns.

Imam is the National Secretary, Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union.