KWARA POLITICS WITHOUT ADMIRAL LAWAL

The Guardian November 27, New Nigerian November 27, Leadership November 28,

Vanguard November 29, Sunday Trust December 3 and Thisday December 7, 2006

 

I doubt if the Sarakis would be happy with the turn of events in the unexpected demise of Admiral Mohammed Lawal (Rtd) who had performed and sacrificed enough, not only in sustaining the undisputable image of Dr. Olushola Saraki as the most respected political figure in Kwara politics but in improving the living standards of the people of the state before their political estrangement. For those who may be ill-informed, there was tremendous respect between the two political gladiators long before the 1999 election and briefly afterward. Probably, political sycophants and jobless praise-singers might have frolicked like monkeys in jubilation over the demise of one of their victims after creating disharmony and rancor amongst respected acquaintances.

The former governor of Kwara State, Admiral Mohammed Lawal (Rtd) may have died, not unsung, but praised to high heavens and commended for making positive impacts on the lives of his people especially after his election as the governor of the State from 1999 – 2003 through the support of Dr. Olusola Saraki. The enviable harmony of the political father and the political son was later shattered by the fifth columnists, whose stock-in-trade is to create disaffection through petty gossips and blackmail, just to eke out a living.

There is no denying the fact that Dr. Olusola Saraki saw in Lawal a marketable candidate for 1999 election with intimidating credentials having served the nation in various capacities as a high ranking naval officer and military administrator of Ogun State. Put aside politics, emotion and sentiment, Mohammed Lawal was a man who made history by conquering the fear of political intimidation and was resolute in creating a name for himself in the annals of Nigerian politics, most especially in Kwara State. He was not found wanting unless we play the usual Nigerian politics of calling a dog a bad name just to hang it. The mammoth crowds of mourners that stretched about ten kilometers during his burial, as mentioned in the media, is a pointer to the fact that he was still adored even after his death as his legacies of developmental efforts and youth empowerment within the four years of his administration, would forever remain indelible in the mind of the people.

By coincidence of my marriage, I found myself in a close contact with the late Lawal’s family who are related to my inlaws. In fact, his first daughter, Fatima-Arinola was a major catalyst in my courtship and wedding. She doesn’t wear the aura of opulence or power-drunk even when her father was a military administrator. The compassionate nature of his wives and the sound moral upbringing of his children including his first son Hakeem, who is deeply religious and humble, demonstrate the kind of discipline he instilled in his family. Unlike what is typical of children born with silver spoons or from powerful homes, they are neither arrogant nor vindictive but are highly educated and intelligent. Their simplicity and humility are reference points to those haughty fellows from nonentity who take delight in showing off and exhibiting larger than life posits on their image.

At the wedding ceremony of Lawal's daughter (Fatima-Arinola), Dr Olushola Saraki and his son (now Governor Bukola) played fatherly and brotherly roles respectively to the success of the event. That must be a source of envy to other godfathers and godsons in other states who had engaged in battles of blackmail and total destruction. At every occasion, Lawal as a governor was always proud to associate with Saraki in glowing terms and attributes. But in a mysterious and unfathomable occurrence, sooner, political charlatans pierced the harmonious relationship between the two, with venoms more infectious than cancer. The state capital, Ilorin was thereafter embroiled in an unprecedented acrimonious anxiety that almost divided the peace-loving people into two extreme factions. A situation that might have only occurred after the conquest of the city by the jihadists in the 19th Century.

I was compelled to write two articles in 2002 on the bickering between the governor and his political patron entitled: “Haba Governor Lawal!” and “Searching for Neutral Governor” where I didn’t spare the two on the general feelings of Nigerians. The opinions which were published in the Nigerian print media were largely viewed by some readers as being hard to the benefactor of my family, as I tried to caution that, when an elder is nearly idolized by a majority, no matter his weakness, he deserves some special treatment which then I had suspected that some Lawal’s supporters were not ready to kowtow. But the governor’s family in their characteristic manner understood my genuine feelings for an early reconciliation between the two personalities before the 2003 election.

When the campaign for Saraki’s son (Bukola) was mounted, the critics had erroneously predicted that the father would soon disown his child, just as he fell apart with the past governors of the state whose elections he influenced, like Adamu Attah, Cornelius Adebayo, Shaba Lafiaji and Mohammed Lawal. There were feelers too, that his traditional doling out of money to unemployed women, a practice Saraki (Snr.) had sustained for over a decade would be elevated to officialdom after his son’s election, where the jobless and the poor would converge in the Government House daily to receive monetary endowments for doing nothing.

Probably, Governor Saraki sensing the nuisance of such traditional habits, on assumption of office he independently established agencies where those women and jobless youths are recruited and engaged in productive sector especially in the area of sanitation, farming and other less strenuous labour to earn legitimate means of livelihood. This is similar to Lawal’s investments and soft loans to teeming unemployed youths who benefited immensely in the areas of transportation, entrepreneurships and other laudable projects. Politics aside, personally I see Governor Bukola’s notable achievements in creating enabling environment for massive investments and industrialization of the state especially in the area of job creation and infrastructural development as an extension of Lawal’s programmes. He too seems to be radical and independent in his approach to making positive landmarks without extraneous interferences.

While we mourn the untimely demise of courageous and dogged former governor Lawal, we must express genuine admiration over the performances of Dr. Olushola Saraki’s son and daughter: Governor Bukola and Senator Gbemisola in public offices. But the godfather of Kwara politics must realize the fear of Lawal’s supporters and by extension the concern of right thinking citizens of the state over the speculation that, by 2007, a Political Trinity would have been foisted on the state, where there may be the Sarakis: the Father, the Son and the Daughter representing the state in major electoral offices. That may not be true, but it is true the strong insinuation gaining some grounds that one of his children may go for the Federal House of Representatives while another for Chairman of a Local Government Council. It is claimed that the idea is imported from America where we have members of Bush family as ex-president, incumbent president, governors and the likes. I wonder if that may be applicable and reasonable in a highly sensitive and volatile society like ours.

It may be necessary therefore to appeal to political sponsors and mentors in the state to allow the continuity of the performing governor to sustain the legacy of job creation and empowerment of the less privileged as demonstrated by Lawal during his tenure, but they must encourage other interested stakeholders from the large responsible populace (not from one family) to vie for public offices and make their contribution too for the advancement and wellbeing of Kwarans. It is worth the sacrifice.

 

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