KWASU: Putting reasoning above emotions
by Lawal Olalekan Auto
As the people of Kwara state await the eventual decision of the incumbent Kwara State House of Assembly on the Kwara State University (Amended) Bill, 2019 which seek to amend the Kwara State University Law, No.13 of 2008, to among other things, revert the name of the University from Abubakar Sola Saraki to Kwara State University. The time has come to begin to examine if the administration of Mr AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman is actually on a mission to move the state forward, or here to reverse the gains of the past and continue what seems like an adventure of vendetta, which has characterised the Kwara APC government since taking over, most especially its unprovoked attack on whatever has to do with the legacies of the leaders of Kwara politics, former Senate president Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
Recall that the previous administration in the state has renamed the University after the undoubtedly most illustrious son, a great and foremost politician and wordsmith, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki.
Kwara State University (Amended) Bill, 2019 is to amend the Kwara State University Law, No.13 of 2008, to among other things, revert the name of the University from Abubakar Sola Saraki to Kwara State University.
There is no doubt that Dr Olusola Saraki was an enigma. His era in Kwara politics was a phenomenon. It may not happen again that one politician will dominate the politics of a state for that long, almost 35 years. He perhaps would be the only man for a long time whose immediate family produced three senators of the Federal Republic. Only the Kennedys did that in the US with Jack, Bob and Ted (three brothers). He was a great man who related perfectly well with both the rich and the poor. In fact, he built his constituency around the latter. The people were sure that with or without politics, Saraki was with them. The man lived a great and successful life in all ramifications. If there is a Nigerian politician whose politics should be studied by students of political science and others who aspired to excel in the political field, it is the late Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki, Wazirin Ilorin.
The consistency of his political views, which he always expressed very eloquently was perhaps responsible for the leadership positions which he held in both the Senate into which he was elected in 1979 under the banner of the defunct National Party of Nigeria as well as the All Peoples Party of which he was the National Leader in 1998.
Renaming the University after Oloye as he fondly called remains the most decent way of immortalising the late political icon, who remains our most outstanding politician, mentor and philanthropist.
Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki no doubt paid his dues and deserves all the encomiums being poured on him and even more for the roles he played not only in deepening democracy in this country, but also in stabilising the country and hence deserve being immortalised by renaming KWASU after him.
At the very least, one would have expected that the priority of the incumbent administration would be how to improve on the foundation that the founding fathers have laid for the university and concentrate on funding it for more achievements.
In other words, instead of renaming the university, Governor Abdulrahman should concentrate his efforts and resources on our we can adequately fund it. Politicians must desist from using their power to alter the collective aspiration of the people, especially when they are out seeking vengeance against perceived political opponents.
