NEWS ANALYSIS:KWARA STATE, SARAKI, BIRD OF ILL-OMEN

Senator Bukola Saraki

By Horacle Tundè Ómó Atólagbé

In cultures where the gyration of hips forms a major part of dancing, the elders say, “He who is dancing sees not his back, only the on-lookers see how well he is performing – Kalabari adage.

He has not suffered before, unlike the kind of suffering his dynasty gave to us in Kwara State. He is ‘Omobolanle’ ( He met wealth at home). Sometime ago, Bukola Saraki was asked, ‘Have you ever had an agony experience before, he answered and said, ‘He had never suffered in his life before, except a time when he had a punched tyre, and he had to trek in search of a Vulcanizer.” (That was the only time he suffered)

He has never trekked from Omu-Aran to Oke Onigbin; he has never trekked from Ilóta to Idofían; he has never trekked from Gerí Alímí to Sango in Ilorin; he has never trekked from Ajase Ipo to Offa. In other words, Bukola Saraki is a spoilt child.

He was assigned to manage a Bank and the Bank ended up on ill-omen. On a platter of gold, he became the godfather of the State, unlike Tinubu who struggled and still struggling to retain the power of a godfather. Bukola Saraki inherited the State from his late Father. The only one who wanted to rub shoulders with him in their dynasty is his own blood sister, Gbemisola Saraki who is now in the camp of “OTO GÉÉ, an irony in the State. It’s OTO GÉÉ for Bukola, but not OTO GÉÉ for Saraki Gbemisola.

Bukola Saraki was assigned to manage a State, in his hand, the State ended up on ill-omen. Times without number, I tried my best to bring out to the fold what the State has achieved under Bukola Saraki, but I couldn’t get any. Under Saraki, unemployment rises to about 80% in the State. Under Saraki, the worst of insecurity was recorded for the world to see. The major road that leads to the former Governor home town, Ahmed Fatai was nothing to write home about. Unfortunately, Fatai never learnt a lesson from our own Ambode of Lagos State who turned Epe to a small London. Under Saraki’s care, particularly in Ilorin, ordinary pipe born water becomes a Gold in the Capital city. He has no good record in the State than the Amala and Ewedu/Gbegiri he is sharing to the “poor people” who couldn’t afford a daily meal.

Charity they say begins at home, but not in the case of Bukola Saraki. Saraki refused to use his influence to construct a road between Offa to Ajase-Ipo. He refused to do anything on the road between Ajase-Ipo to Igbaja. The government of Saraki couldn’t boast of any road in State.

Saraki never cares about the people. He must have learnt that bad habit from General Mohammadu Buhari. Each time the Federal allocation touches the account of the State, Saraki would fly into the State for a “sharing formula.” leaving the civil servant to “Oh God.”

Saraki never acted like Buddha who abandoned his Palace and pleasure in reality with the poor.
Saraki arrogates to himself the posture of a Gulliver towering sky high among little Lilliputians. He has this kind of insincere smile that he uses to lick our soup in the State. He has this innate pride forgetting the Book of Proverbs, “Pride goeth before destruction.”

Under Saraki’s care, company upon company declared bankruptcy. The severe and prolonged recessions marred the State and sent ripples of depression and agony across the State. Bukola Saraki keeps on smiling to the Bank. No one dare ask him, where is our money.

Like Tinubu, he has these Jekyll and Hyde face. Mere looking him afar; one would think he is a Messiah and this is why some praise singers who claimed to have known IYA OSHO better than OSHO said Bukola Saraki is the best thing to have happen to Buhari’s weak government.

Those who believe in the abracadabra of Saraki are ignorant of the fact that the Christ Jesus had his Judas, Caesar had his Brutus and Kwara had Saraki. These people couldn’t tell us what Saraki has done his State to deserve accolades. Perhaps, sentiments has wallowed in their mind, forgetting that he who wear the shoe know where it pinches. Saraki may be their friend or a role model, but not in our State. He is not our friend in Kwara State. A friend in need is a friend indeed.

A true friend is what one could vouch for anytime, anywhere, any day. A good friend is not like Buhari.
Or what manner of a friend would allow his people to become a pauper while he is a billionaire? You may like Saraki and sympathise with him, but I cannot relate with such a bird of ill-omen. I cannot.