It was a scintillating sight to behold and people trooped from the breath and length of Kwara State to attend the 13th year remembrance prayer organised for Former governor of Kwara State, Late Rear Admiral Muhammed Alabi Lawal at his palacious residence, Admiralty Villa, GRA, Ilorin.
The commemoration prayer was graced by notable personalities such as – Governor AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman, Deputy Governor, Kayode Alabi, Kwara Chief of Staff, Aminu Adisa Logun, Rex Olawoye, Senator Yinka Aluko, Alhaji Yakubu Gobir, Musbahu Eshinrogunjo and many other dignataries.
In his sermon, Sheikh Abdullahi Toyin Salati charged the current administration of Governor AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman to be people centered and make the masses interest its top priority, maintaining that there is high level of hunger and poverty in the Kwara.
The notable cleric further admonished governor AbdulRazaq to swiftly tackle these challenges that have been plaguing the state over the years.
While Fielding questions from journalists, the late governor’s son and gubernatorial aspirant in the recently concluded general elections, Alhaji Hakeem Lawal expressed satisfaction amid the massive turnout for his father’s remembrance prayer.
“I know that all they are doing is remembering the late Lawal for all he did, for standing and believing in the people first. I believe that is the result of what we see today.
You know first and foremost he believed that anything that happened to you is ordained by God. And second of all he believed in the people. However he can help and Whatever he can do for people was his priority.”
He however, called on the kwarans not to rest on their laurels as there are still lots of tasks ahead, stating his father was always interested in the absolute emancipation and independence of the people of Kwara State.
“My message for Kwarans is that the battle is not over. The battle is just starting what we want in Kwara. Yes, we have taken the first step we must remain resilient and we must focus and push for what we want. Then ensure that what we want is what they give us that my message Kwaran.
I feel elated. But that is not the point total election victory is not my father’s main aim, the emancipation of the people and the independence of the people, the ability of the people to fend for themselves and make something of themselves the way that he was brought up his mother made something of him from selling palm oil there are many of out there that can not achieve that that is what my father stood for. The election process is the first step that is why I say the struggle is not over, it is only just starting.
Now we have a government. We need a government that will think about the people first and provide for the people like my late grandmother and give them opportunity so that they will grow children that will become leaders of tomorrow.”
