Despite being in overs, I have been watching with rapt attention and keen interest the development in my dear state, Kwara state, because that’s where I was born and bred. Therefore, my soul is completely attached to her, and I’m passionate about her development.
Sadly, the recent political tussle has taken another turn, a horrible one that’s capable of overturning the ongoing development in the state.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has been writing his name in gold, and he should be acknowledged for his unexampled achievements in the past six years; however, as huge as his achievements are, if he fails to separate governance from politics, then his achievements may be voided with unnecessary charades in the state.
For records purposes, out of my affection for my state, I have written severally in the past to laud Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s unparalleled accomplishment, and it must be clear to us that I write this time around, too, to contribute my quota in saving the face of our state.
Frankly, the primary tasks of any responsible government or administration are to protect the lives and properties of its citizens, empower them, and ensure that they are developed while similarly developing the state. Regrettably, the opposite is what is recently being witnessed in my dear Kwara State.
The state government’s aims to frustrate the effort of a senator who’s trying hard to support and empower people of his constituency and beyond is condemnable. Both the State Administration and National Assembly Representatives are designed to work alongside to progress the state. It’s, however, disheartening that the state government is working against the masses he pledged to govern righteously.
Going forward, the alleged brawl between the two emirate sons calls for somber reflection and intervention is needed.
I didn’t intend to contribute to the lingering political warfare, but one expects that it wouldn’t affect the governance and development of the state. This administration prioritizes politics over development, and it’s an affront to the citizens of Kwara who worked hard to install it.
Advantageous is that the ruling party occupies all the electoral positions in the state, and it’s expected that there would be no undeserving competition or antagonisms within the party and between the officeholders, believing it would aid the advancement of the state.
Alas, it’s bewildering that the governor or his cabinets are at loggerheads with a senator who both belong to the same ruling party simply because of his perceived gubernatorial aspiration, which he hasn’t openly declared. It’s a sad development in our Kwara politics, and more unfortunate is the fact that the government silences any dissident voices, the unethical attitude we fought against while in the opposition party, which influenced our decision to part ways. This is a politics taken too far and a total derailment from governance.
The state government, in its fight against one particular influential senator and its attempt to smear his popularity, is unknowingly working against the masses he ought to serve. The government is swayed by its bitterness toward the man who means well for the people, thereby abandoning its essential duties.
It’s mystifying that one man will attempt to solve salient problems, and another man who was equally elected for the same purpose will be frustrating his efforts in a quest to obstruct his ambition.
A typical disturbing scenario was the reported directives given to the supposed beneficiaries of the recent Alubarika Empowerment by Senator Saliu Mustapha, where the beneficiaries, particularly the local government chairmen, were allegedly instructed to reject the federal government-facilitated tractors distributed to them by the distinguished senator. A government that is poised to embark on such a smearing campaign ought to create alternative channels. While it’s only on the paper that the state government distributed tractors for each local government, it’s alleged that the tractors are nonfunctional, and the councils are finding it so difficult to service them due to their inability to fund their administration, which is affecting the operations of the local governments. In addition, these tractors were purportedly distributed on loan, and a return payment must be made back to the state government. Isn’t it unreasonable for these local government chairmen to reject functional ones given to them on a platter of gold? This is a result of misplacement of priority!
What’s more disturbing is that the farmers who usually depend on the subsidized services of these local government areas are now stranded, like last season, wandering around to seek alternatives while the government tractors are being abandoned at the police stations and the rejected ones are also parked at the senator’s office, without any uses. This will, of course, have dire consequences, and it’s the poor people who will bear the brunt.
One imagines if this was the government that was elected to right the wrongs and provide succor to the masses by supporting businesses in the state.
This is the same government that’s boisterously campaigning for food security on paper and social media while indirectly working against its success underground.
At this peak farming period, a serious government would subsidize and aid the farming operations to make the state the basket of food and elevate the burdens of its citizens.
It’s equally unthinkable the period the government always distributes the farming inputs to support the farmer. It’s usually distributed at a period where most farmers would have no use for it again and eventually leads to the sale of them. That’s when you see them selling them at cheaper prices because the government couldn’t give them to them at the right time. A peak period like now is when those inputs are valuable, but the government is unconcerned and more focused on politics instead of governance.
Therefore, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s administration is enjoined to separate governance from politics and allow those who are ready to support his developmental projects in the state to do so. He’s urged to abandon his selective fight against his brother and allow peace to reign and development to continue.
While knowing that it’s imperative to write about other heartbreaking scenarios, such as the stoppage of the construction of the pavilion, I intentionally skipped it because what I have addressed has a direct effect on the lives of all kwarans.
By extension, we clamored for development, and we were happy when this Abdulrahman-led administration embarked on it, but we never envisaged it would be at the expense of the masses’ source of income.
Development is essential, but the government should be pragmatic about handling any projects in the state to avoid destroying people’s resources before birthing new ones that may not even contribute to economic values.
If lives are exterminated by wiping out properties, who will then live to sing praise to your government, or who will enjoy the infrastructure?
The poor people of Oja-Oba, for instance, have been in an unexplainable situation ever since their businesses and properties were destroyed by the state apparatus without humane consideration. The majority of petty businesswomen in this market are our aged mothers who only go to their spots each day just to have something in their stomachs. They have been there before many of us were born, and they used the resources raised there to raise many of us. Now, their joy has been plagued, and they are in sorrow.
No one condemns the government for uplifting the face or improving the conditions of our roads, but it should, however, be done without introducing sadness in the lives of citizens. There must be another beautiful way to address the situation without using force or destroying methods.
Another typical example is that of displacement of businesses in the popular challenges without providing alternatives or support to help them resettle somewhere else.
Such actions are capable of distancing investors from the state, and the results will be unfavorable to the general well-being of the citizens and, therefore, adversely affect the development of the state. Borrowing the blueprints of another state to operate in Kwara State may not be effective because each state has its unique communities, cultures, and traditions, meaning that what works for State A may work against State B.
Hence, the state government led by His Excellence Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is similarly urged to be more considerate of his citizens when executing the next projects.
Lastly, the government should be more responsive and reactive to the increasing insecurities in the state, such as killings and kidnappings. It’s a devastating development and one that unrests the mind. No state can be progressive without security assurance.
I implore our governor to find a lasting solution to the lingering insecurities which has destabilized and displaced many communities and households in the state.
A recent example of deteriorating security is the kidnap of the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Oke Ero Local Government on Friday, April 25, who was kidnapped alongside barrister Arinde, head of the legal department, Oke Ero LGA, Kwara State.
This ordeal has thrown the families of both government officials who encountered the shocking incident into the dark, leaving their families disgruntled and the victims helpless.
The government should, as a matter of urgency, explore every logical means to rescue the victims who were on official movement at the time of the incident.
The security status of the state is also no longer acceptable, and the government should declare a state of emergency regarding security-related matters.
Lastly, the governor’s foot soldiers are equally enjoined to sheath their swords of calumny and face governance and ways to better the lives of the masses. The tantrums being thrown here and there are nothing but distraction from real issues, and they should be controlled.
It has also become the state government’s tradition to destabilize any associations whose leadership stances aren’t aligned with the government’s or the dissenting voices that disagree with it. This is another misuse of power that’s causing instability in the state.
If Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is aware of this, he should demonstrate fatherly leadership and distance himself from what’s capable of sullying his image. If he’s unaware, he should caution his men.
The governor must know that those who are praise-singing him today are doing so because their interests are protected, if the ship capsizes tomorrow, they will jump and desert him, priceless advice the governor should reflect upon.
In the same vein, it’s noteworthy that no matter the intimidation, some of us will stand tall and speak out without allowing our ambitions to becloud our sense of reasoning or discerning.
Inarguably, we can’t do without politics, but it should be separated from governance and development. It shouldn’t be bitterly played at the expense of the growth of the state.
Today, we are telling the stories of those who wrote theirs yesterday, and tomorrow, we will be telling the stories of today’s penholder.
May AA succeed,
May SM Succeed,
May Kwara State Succeed!!!
Alhaji Abdullateef Bibire Olarewaju writes from London, and he’s a founder of Abdullateef Bibire Foundation (ABF) and the CEO of Emirate Nexus Limited.
