Sometimes, one is left to wonder how Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s administration consistently fails to deliver, seemingly without exception. Observing Kwara State today leads to a troubling conclusion, the core issue is a leadership that appears to specialize in causing embarrassment.
Consider the perplexing decision to convert a cargo terminal into a garment factory. Among the many ill-advised ideas from past governments, this one stands out. A functional cargo terminal could have been a hub for logistics, commerce, and aviation, creating lasting economic opportunities. Instead, the state chose to prioritize sewing clothes over expanding trade and exports. The long-term revenue from a garment factory could never rival that of a thriving cargo terminal. This was not innovation; it was profound short-sightedness.
Now, three years later, this flagship project has collapsed into predictable chaos. The government describes it as a “temporary shutdown,” but the reality is one of protesting workers, unpaid wages, and systemic neglect. Trainees once showcased as success stories of job creation are now being told to re-apply to a new management company. The same government that failed to manage the factory is now outsourcing its failure, framing this handover as “public procurement compliance.” In truth, it is public deception.
Anyone passing the so-called factory would note its perpetually idle state. It only occasionally showed signs of life when a few individuals lingered outside, likely waiting for transport. What seemed like coincidental inactivity now makes sense, the workers appeared lost because they had been abandoned. It is shameful that a government promoting “innovation and technology” could not sustain a basic garment production facility, making Kwara a textbook case of wasted potential.
The misallocation of resources continues. This same administration, which cannot successfully manage a single factory, invested in building the tallest flagpole in West Africa. This structure is not a symbol of pride but a monument to misplaced priorities. It stands tall in an environment of poverty, flapping over the very real problems of unpaid workers and collapsing public projects.
The undeniable truth is that the Kwara State Government will embarrass its citizens. It sells grand dreams while systematically dismantling hope. It spends billions on projects that fail within years, commissions empty buildings as industries, and repackages failure as a success story.
Despite this, some defenders insist the governor means well, invoking the adage that “Rome was not built in a day.” However, Rome was consistently built up, not constantly demolished for theatrical rebuilds. The tragedy in Kwara is not mere incompetence, but the arrogance that accompanies it. The governor acts as if he has reinvented governance, when in reality, he has only demonstrated how far mediocrity can go when masked by public relations and photo opportunities.
The garment factory is not an isolated incident. It reflects a broader pattern: a government that announces grandly, delivers minimally, and sustains nothing. It builds what it cannot maintain, launches what it cannot sustain, and borrows for what it cannot justify. Every project becomes a press release, and every press release becomes a tool for propaganda, leaving the people to applaud mere shadows.
Therefore, when the next “grand initiative” is announced, be it a new park or a “mega” project, it should be met with the skepticism it deserves. Kwara’s problem is not a lack of potential, but a profound failure of its current leadership. For now, the garment factory lies silent, and the flagpole waves over our collective confusion. Truly, this government is an embarrassment—if it has not embarrassed you already.
