Kwara at 54, AA at 1 and the fight for LG chairmanship
By Abdulwahab Tajudeen
For a child that was born fifty-four years ago is no longer a kid, he or she should by now have children and probably grandchildren as five decades is enough a while on earth to live and leave. Here is a case of Kwara State, created by General Yakubu Gowon on the 27th, May 1967.
At its creation, the state was made up of Ilorin and Kabba which was later reduced sizably in 1976 as a result of further state creation which sees to the departure of Idah/Dekina part of the state that merged with a part of then Benue/Plateau state to form Benue state. With another excision on 27 August, 1991 that signalled the creation of a new state, five local government areas, namely Oyi, Yagba, Okene, Okehi and Kogi were excised to form part of now Kogi State and the sixth, Borgu Local Government Area, merged with Niger State.
A total of 20 Administrators, thirteen Men in Khaki – Military Administrators – with seven of their counterparts in Agbada – Civilian Governors – have overseen the affairs of the state in its fifty-four years of creation. While some people believe in a certain government at a certain time, some disagree with the words that the government is badly laced with poor performance in governance – a low or no project or intervention.
There was a time in Kwara State when those that held sway were the Sule Maitos, Ahman Patigis, J.S Olawoyins before the emergence of Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki. There is no political era without its characteristics and features that distinguishes it from others. One phase of history may be feudalistic, authoritarian or autocratic, while another may be democratic, fair and compassionate.
There was an acclaimed builder of modern Kwara, a vibrant young man called Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki who was believed to bring upon the state social amenities as at the time the world started moving from analogue to digital. A good administrator as some will project and a man with bad leadership habit to some of his adversaries. Sure, we can not have it all, we are not God but the history of how we balanced the power during our ruling days won’t go unnoticed.
We also have AbdulFatah Ahmed (Megida), a man that ruled the state with mixed feelings, a man purportedly believed to be the architect of the downfall of Saraki’s hegemony. Maybe he ruled the state well or he served just as a figurehead, history will be just to him as Kwarans that are around during his tenure will live to tell the story.
With AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq as the twentieth governor of the state, the present occupant of Ahmadu Bello Way will celebrate his one year in office on the 29, May 2020, Kwarans are having another thought about government and governance. No doubt, the present Sheriff has shown himself to be responsive enough with part of Kwarans asking for more from the governor – may be to guide him aright or to criticise his government, they all have the legal right to spew their thoughts under democracy. From health, education, social intervention programmes down to road and security, AbdulRahman’s led administration has scored 70% in the last 365 days. A pass mark to this administration which I would implore the governor not to relent in giving Kwarans the reason not to regret voting him in at the last poll.
The bar was low during some people’s era but now the bar is at the lowest minimal that doesn’t require any stress or jump to see one’s self at the helms of the affair, all you need is a hop, take that hop maybe you will meet yourself at a ministry as the head even if you will be redundant.
That is why when Kwara is fifty-four, the state still has unintelligent and irresponsive men that lack ideology vying for the seat of chairmanship of local government areas. Look at the man whose fliers and posters you have been seeing in your area, walk up to him, ask him his ideology and sit back watching him fail as he would labour hard in joining words together. Don’t be amazed at any of the failures, you cannot give what you don’t have. They are set of people using the last general elections as their yardsticks and the emergence of our irresponsive but loyal commissioners. Maybe loyalty pays at the expense of good governance but Kwarans should take a reflection and look at Kwara’s ilks at fifty-four if they are having less or more than our dear state.
May Kwara Succeed.
