Reappraising Bukola Saraki Four Years After

                                    By Abdulmumin Yinka Ajia

When I wrote, “Kwarans before you cast that vote” prior to the gubernatorial election of 2003, I based my submissions on the isms that was subsisting in Kwara State at the time. Led by former Governor Mohammed Lawal on the one hand and the Turaki of Ilorin on the other. I took note of the violence, insecurity and the continued underdevelopment of the state and in my estimation; I knew we needed a change of course. At the time I wasn’t sure if that change would come in the form of Dr Bukola Saraki. In my article I had summoned the courage to say what many in Kwara merely thought but failed to say. Up until Dr Bukola Saraki’s ascent to the state house, a lot of people are skeptical about the patriarch of the Saraki family, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki. For good or bad, a lot of people see him differently. Yours truly inclusive. Some of us questioned the rationale behind his incessant quarrel with Kwara State Governors. From the time of Adamu Attah to Governor Lawal. We questioned the fact that for well over thirty years, Kwara State’s political path has been decided mostly by Dr A.O Saraki but we have not seen any significant improvement on the lot of the average Kwaran. And we feel genuinely concerned because we are stake holders in the kwara project too.

          Prior to the 2003 election, I had subtly wished for the AD Gubernatorial candidate Alhaji Lai Mohammed to win and finally put paid to the prevailing isms between Lawal and the Sarakis. I had hoped that this would bring the much needed peace and development to kwara state. Alas, providence has a different plan. Dr Bukola Saraki won the election and I placed a self-imposed moratorium on myself, I decided to study the new government and its programmes. I commented on other national issues either through the dailytrust newspapers medium or the nigeriavillagesquare.com, I avoided any opinion on kwara state, instead I studied the government and took notes.

          At this juncture, let me reiterate to my readers that my singular purpose is to see kwara state develop regardless of differences in political ideology. In line of this, at a kwara retreat in Atlanta-Georgia USA, I met Governor Bukola Saraki and tabled an idea about the necessity of having a state police department to help combat what was then a very high violence rate. I noted his answer and moved on. Subsequently, I traveled down to Nigeria in May 2005 and stayed for a complete 5 months. All the while visiting Ilorin frequently.

          I could see the changes on the ground, an expatriate friend of mine that came along with me from the United States attested to this much when he said that on his first visit to kwara state back in 2000, he could see how dirty and unkempt the state capital was. On this particular visit, he noted the stark difference. This is just one viewpoint.

          Yours truly not given to frivolities, I approached the average kwaran and most of the people that I talked to said in their estimation, the Governor Bukola Saraki administration is indeed delivering on many democratic dividends. They cited the general security of lives and properties, something that seem elusive during the last administration. They also cited the Kwara clean and green project as a trailblazer. The civil service they claim is getting a fair deal. Traditional institutions are being strengthened they say. And to cap it all, they said the Zimbabwe farmers’ project as envisioned by this government will lay a solid framework for kwara state’s industrial take off. To the average kwaran, this governor is one of their own. On my second visit in 2006, the sentiments are still pretty much the same.

          Since my cardinal focus has always been the improvement of the lives of kwarans, then I will commend the Governor for having come this far. But the Governor will agree with me that there is still serious job that needs to be done in order to put kwara state on the global map where it rightfully belongs.

            Yours truly believes that kwara state needs to be re-branded. We are indeed the gateway of the nation (apologies to Ogun State). We can strategically place our state at such a vantage as to make sure that we become the nation’s distribution center. All goods coming from both the north and south of the country can easily reach its final destination from kwara state. We can have among our economic plan, the need to make kwara state both a giant in light industries and a giant in supply chain distribution. This has huge potential impact on our citizens, enormous job creation and tax naira. But the government has to continue on its development path and provide the necessary groundwork for a successful kwara brand. The provision of water and energy to power these future industries and warehouse has to be top on the agenda of this government. The IPP is a good idea but we have to move very quickly. There is also the need to form at least two tri-state commissions. The first involving Kwara-Niger and Kogi States, the second involving Kwara-Oyo and Osun States. The need for these tri-state commissions will be to partner with these six state governments on developmental projects and also use these platforms to strategically place kwara state in the scheme of things. We have to partner with these state governments to make sure that all roads that lead in or out of their domains to kwara state are jointly financed by the states involved and the federal government. Equally important is the partnership on energy between Kwara, Kogi and Niger States. And of course several other areas of co-operation. As at present, the Ilorin international airport is used as a take off point during hajj for some of the states in my proposed tri-state commissions, the airport could be expanded to serve even more local need and the two-tri state areas will benefit immensely from such.

          Now, the ambitious Zimbabwe agricultural project needs to be revisited. This project is indeed a good idea but the government needs to do more by incorporating our local farmers to benefit from the scheme. It will be nice to see enterprising kwara farmers given the same backing as was given to the Zimbabwean farmers. This will dispel the fear of foreign domination that is pervasive among the elites now. It will also boost local confidence. What more, these new entrepreneurs would create as much jobs as their Zimbabwean counterparts in shonga.

          This brings to mind the recent recapitalization exercise and how our very own Trade Bank PLC lost out in the consolidation exercise. A lot of pundits have opined as to the reasons why Trade Bank lost out. It is not the intention of this writer to revisit that episode. What is important to me however is that we can still resuscitate Trade Bank PLC during this post-consolidation period. The governor and his economic team need to come up with a blue print that will make this happen. Equally important is the need to partner with our sister state kogi on the way forward for Trade Bank PLC. This magnificent organization and a symbol of kwara state must not be allowed to die. As we pursue the new agricultural policy, what better institution for our local farmers to source funds other than Trade Bank PLC. My humble opinion will be for the bank during this post consolidation era to merge with one of the successful banks and re-strategize its operations.

          Since the kwara state governor has followed the progressive path, I will like to suggest to him to move a landmark residency bill before the kwara state house of assembly. This bill will seek to recognize all kwara residents regardless of their place of birth, religion or tribe. Of course there must be a spelt out criteria for establishing residency. The current practice whereby people are given citizenship certificate by local governments must be abolished. By giving residency rights and the benefits that comes with it to each and every Nigerian or legal alien resident in kwara state, we would have opened tremendous prosperity for our dear state. People are more creative and invest more of their money in a given place when they are made to be stakeholders therein. By doing so, we would have set a pan-Nigerian outlook second only to Lagos State. This approach is not only good for business it is good for kwara and Nigeria as a whole.

          I like to reiterate as I did in 2004 in Atlanta Georgia that the creation of state and local departments of police is very necessary in today’s Nigeria. Recent events in Onitsha, Anambra state gives credence to this. A situation whereby a governor as a chief executive officer cannot summon the local police commissioner is undesirable. Under a federal system of government, this is equally absurd. I will like to see the kwara state governor join hands with that of Lagos State to provide leadership in this area. It is an idea whose time has come. Let individual state and local governments take ownership of their own security. If the Nigerian constitution needs to be amended to pave way for this, I like to see my governor leading the pack.

          On a final note, I like to commend the governor for paying attention to the education sector, however, like all government departments, there is still much more that needs to be done.

Kwara state can use a State University to augment the present institutions of higher learning currently available in the state. The kwara state governor can provide leadership in this regard also. In the same vein, the kwara state scholarship board needs to be re organized and its primary area of focus aimed at alleviating the suffering of indigent students. There shouldn’t be anything like blanket scholarship where students whose wards could afford to pay for their tuition are being given scholarships, lets reserve scholarship awards solely for those who cannot afford to pay and who of course through their grade showed promise of excelling in whatever field they opt to follow.

Overall, I will concede that the Dr Bukola Saraki led kwara state government is moving in the right direction. It is my hope and prayers that they will continue executing people oriented programmes in the months and years ahead.

abdu_mumi@yahoo.co.uk

Robot  # 1 | 26.02.2007 23:59

Yours truly not given to frivolities, I approached the average kwaran and most of the people that...Read the full article.