Ibraheem Abdullateef
All the cadres of the Saraki dynasty have been restless since Mallam Rafiu Ajakaye, the Chief Press Secretary to Kwara Governor, released his punchy article in response to Senator Bukola Saraki’s late Monday false and gratuitous claims. Saraki’s minions barely treated the key issues raised in the article. It appeared that was a deliberate strategy since they had no concrete arguments against the instances of impunity associated with Mr. Saraki while he reigned supreme. Kwarans must continue to remind them of their history and legacies.
Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir, the Press Officer on Local Matters to Saraki, particularly did a great disservice to his principal. He had the opportunity to defend Mr. Saraki but his intervention was subpar, full of tantrums and venom. He didn’t do better than Onirakunmi, His eminence kakakin rugudu Wahab Oba, and co.
I sympathise with Abdul Abdul and his band of pallbearers for their misfortune. It is difficult to divorce impunity from the name Saraki, yet, they have to use their youthfulness and pride to mop the floor in altar display of loyalty to their abuser at the expense of the welfare of the people and their community.
Here is a man whose decades-long dynasty and entire political career were defined by political witch-hunt, gross impunity, scant regard and empathy for the people, and abuse of public trust.
Mr. Saraki’s support for Hon. Moshood Mustapha on the demolition of his Crystal Complex is symbolic. I just hope this is not lost on the people. Tse tse fly is always attracted to faeces. It is on toes and fingers that you find the nails. We are talking of sweeping out the culture of aggrandizement and corruption in Kwara, how can the ringleader stay out? Love is weakening, nothing unites bad people stronger than evil. As is expected of a master, he has a duty to protect an apprentice whose nose is currently sniffing the pepper of justice. Moreover, he also recently had to lose a portion of the loot he thought would forever be part of his fiefdom. As the noose is now getting tighter on their bleak records, there has to be a fight to the war of attrition now bedeviling the Impunity FC. I am not surprised that Mr. Saraki spares no time and shame to defend the remains of his ruinous empire.
It is just amusing how easy it is for con men to think they can fool the people all the times. It is barely five years the people of Kwara State sent packing a failed administrator and reckless politician, as a just reward for his leadership of terror. So, it made real mockery of empathy when the man whose boys visited disaster on Offa community and killed 33 people; led a party that owed salaries and pension; and made grievous attacks on his opponents hands down a lecture on how to run a state for success.
On a further look, impunity and disregard for due process was a major factor that sent the Saraki dynasty packing. Cases like that of Mustapha’s complex, Ile Arugbo, Alimi Chalet and a host of others were reckless behaviours perpetrated under the dynasty. If Saraki is coming out today to speak up against an effort to resolve one of these cases like he did during the Ile Arugbo saga, it only means that he still takes Kwarans for a ride and is yet to change his ways despite the Otoge revolution. I am certain Kwarans are not ready to hand the keys to the ‘agesinkole’ for a repeat experience.
It may matter less that Saraki takes the moral high ground unbefitting of his persona. What we have seen in the matter of Crystal Place are raw emotions and cheap blackmail from even Moshood Mustapha and his band of spinners. But they won’t take attention away from what the real issue is: impunity. How could former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, Saraki’s own favoured successor, approve a piece of land for the purpose of a car park, and same was developed and operated as a shopping complex? But because this person involved is a political leader, it looks like it mattered less in the eyes of some people.
One other interesting story is that of the miraculous escape the complex had in the hands of former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed himself. Why did His Excellency want to pull it down before he succumbed to the haze of blackmail behind the curtains? The state could at least remember him for that kind service if he had held his courage when he wanted to demolish it himself some years ago for defying his approval. Nonetheless, we have the honour to count it as another mess Governor AbdulRazaq has to clean off for Kwarans.
Another was the case of Ile Arugbo, a public facility converted to private use. To this day, the Sarakis have not been able to provide necessary documents backing their ownership of the land. They have even had to be fined by the law court for failing to prosecute their case. From all indications, Moshood Mustapha is not considering the option of approaching the law court. He knows it is a losing battle. He therefore has resorted to the same old blackmail, diversionary tactics and politicisation of the whole exercise.
It is important to state that Moshood Mustapha’s business is not the only one affected by the ongoing urban renewal effort of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. The structure of Rotamedics, a prominent pharmacy, in GRA was demolished. A part of Charcoal, a private investment reportedly owned by a member of the Governor’s family, also had to go down at Tanke when enforcing the setback. Of course, Mr Saraki didn’t come out to support any of the businesses with his crocodile tears. The political affiliation of the owners were not brought under scrutiny. A lot of other businesses have been affected in Taiwo, Post Office, and other places. Moshood Mustapha cannot be an exception because he’s a big man. Not in this era. That sentimental approach to governance has gone with the Saraki dynasty.
Silly as Abdul Abdul and his band of hirelings of the dynasty would try, they will never be able to prove that Governor AbdulRazaq corner public properties for himself. Even the list of baloney they draw about him hoping one will stick, none will pass the scrutiny of logic and decency. But can we say the same of Mr Saraki in good conscience?
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is not the destroyer. Mr Saraki, Moshood Mustapha and the gang in the habit of cornering public assets and funds to private purposes destroyed the progress of Kwara (ns) long ago. Assets and land grabbing was a strong suit. Not to talk of funds. AbdulRazaq is the chief rebuilder pulling down the nest of deceit to erect a structure of justice and discipline for prosperity. It is certainly better to be known as the one who kick the dirty behind of tall, big, sleazy oligarchs than joining the ranks of abusers raping the poor people who put him in office to win cheap validations. It is such a delightful epilogue to see powerful men crying for help from the same people they cheated to build wealth.
Let me leave a word for a few who talk about unpredictability of power. Yes, power is transient. But I think they could do the state a favour by not helping abusers undergoing retribution pick pride in wrongdoings. Whatever name they go by, Abubakar, Ahmed, Moshood, or Ibraheem, the Impunity FC deserve no pity. What becomes of the society if anything goes? Does Kwara deserve citizens supporting its treasure and assets to be looted by a privileged few? Does the next generation deserve parents who would rather support con men to pull down the system instead of aiding it in keeping justice? If the future interests people that much, what should be the focus is how we will make it so difficult for powerful men to use their position and power to corner common patrimony for private uses. This is the way AbdulRazaq or any other person could be held to account in the interest of statehood.
It is also important to understand that neither Mallam Rafiu Ajakaye nor myself and millions of Kwarans who speak about Mr. Saraki’s legacy of aggrandizement are his enemies. It is why I laugh at all the insults directed at him. Has history not recorded his deeds? The true enemy of Mr. Saraki is his past that is unforgiving and unforgettable. Another sad truth is that it will outlive us. Not necessarily in the hands of AbdulRazaq, but there are certainly many years ahead for Sarakites to wail over Mr. Saraki’s bleak history of stewardship. It is a force of fact no Impunity FC can defeat.
•Abdullateef is Senior Special Assistant to Kwara Governor on Communications
