Date: 2014-08-12

As usual, the latest serving from the plate of Is'haq Modibbo Kawu through his column in the Vanguard newspaper leaves a very sour taste in the mouth. Not because he is not a good writer, one can still condone a bad writer with logic in his argument. But for Moddibo, it is the case of a good writer who uses his talent for the wrong purpose; such people usually look elsewhere when they write and present fallacies as truth to the public. May God save us.

Just in the last six months, Moddibo has written six opinions in the Vanguard Newspaper, not about making Kwara, his home place a better place for all, but direct unsubstantiated venom on Saraki. For a cerebral individual, that is a huge opportunity to have reached out and spoken out on many issues that could have moved the Nigerian conversation much ahead. That would have even been a good positioning if it were not to be that for every of his opinion on Kwara is to bring down an individual: Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS). So one is bound to ask if the agreement with his current employer was to use the platform to discuss ONLY Saraki while using just the title of his column as pseudonym.

If not, then the unceasing focus of Moddibo on ABS alone every time he discusses Kwara in all his foray as a columnist with the Vanguard newspaper makes him the only known columnist in Nigeria with only one subject and only one topic from time to time. Even a researcher seeking a chair in the university will have to diversify focus to demonstrate inter-disciplinary competence to get his or her award.

As usual, maybe because of his obsession with anti-ABS issues, Modibbo went wide off field in his latest article and we wish to just ask him to make clarifications/research before committing his thoughts, even as inglorious as they are, into writing for public consumption. That is what all genuine writers do but we can understand how challenging such efforts might be for a serial failed writer.

For instance, Moddibo, in his penchant to create a monster out of Saraki, muddled up several facts about the nomination of ministers. Just for your education, Mallam Modibo, Dr.Abubakar Olanrewaju Suleiman is not the first minister from Kwara state that would not be appointed by Saraki or come from the Saraki political dynasty in the political history of our state, even though his appointment brings to the fore the people’s struggle against the hegemonic influence of those “haves” over the rest of us, “the have-not”. There was Hajia Aminat Ndalolo, who was nominated by the former Chief of Staff to President Olusegun Obasanjo, even though the Sarakis contributed to Obasanjo’s emergence. There was Princess Funke Adedoyin, who was a candidate of the then Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Chief Colenous Adebayo who emerged on the platform of the pro-democracy activists, to mention a few.

So in essence, there is no particular victory in the appointment of Suleiman by people who are not working with ABS. And in any case, how would he have been appointed without the input of ABS if the federal lawmaker was still with the PDP? If ABS was still working with the ruling party to appropriate our collective resources for the benefit of a few in the name of oil theft, he would have gotten the nod to present a candidate. Even at that, his candidate, who was nominated from the rank and file, who was removed in a fit of political anger would have still been there. But ABS is above petty politics.

It is the prerogative of Mr. President to choose a minister to work with him from each state and if he decides to work with only people from his political party, how is that a defeat for the opposition or victory for a set of people bent on continually deluding themselves?

It is so sad to read what Moddibo, who belong to the group of privileged elites whose agenda is to dominate the rest of us because of our humble background, dished to the public as knowledge on the state of education in Kwara state. While admittedly, no human institution is perfect, the picture as painted by Moddibo so clearly contradicts what is available on ground. The one in a year visit by Moddibo can definitely not afford him a comprehensive knowledge of real situation in the state. The every child counts policy of the Saraki administration in the state which was endorsed by both the Department for International Development, DFID, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, remains a road map for Nigeria’s education advancement.

Those familiar with his situation would continue to ask whether Modibo’s unceasing attack on ABS could be because Saraki as governor refused to provide fund for the floating of his proposed multi-million naira printing press after the loss of his job at Daily Trust, under a circumstance he has tried to shield from the public. Surely many of those he used to pester the former governor while loitering around Government House could not have forgotten his forlorn looks when it became apparent ABS was not going to divert millions of naira in public fund for a private engagement and if for that Moddibo remains a life-ABS-critic, so be it.

As a muslim, can Modibbo swear by the holy Qur’an that his grouse with Sen. Saraki is not about patronage? And can vow that he has not also benefitted from the administration of Governor Ahmed?

We know he has shifted base now to Borno state and after his characteristic demands has begun to eat deep. We wish him well over there but must not fail to caution him that a day of reckoning is coming for him even in Borno. It is possible to blackmail people for some time, but one day the truth will be out and nemesis will demand its due, just like it did for him in Daily Trust. It is only a matter of time.

The Saraki, I know, has paid the school and examination fees of some of our indigent pupils. Just like the father, Oloye, rehabilitated a number of community schools in the state while building rural roads, health centres and empowering numerous number of Kwarans, the younger Saraki has embarked on an unprecedented community development projects, what has the likes of Moddibo contributed to the community other than embark on satanic expedition of self destruction?

But before ending this piece, it is good to drum into Modibo’s ears, and through him those whom he might be currently milking with his jaundiced writings that if he thinks there is any change coming up in Kwara in the direction of his projection, he is clearly wrong. The kind of change we yearn for is the one that sinks the apologists of a blood thirsty and corrupt government at the centre. A change that seeks to explain where the stolen oil go into.

The kind of change that will remove a people-loving ABS from the way is only possible in the dream of people like Moddibo and his co-travellers. Those who see ABS come rain and shine are satisfied with his leadership and have decided to pitch their tents with him for the simple reason that unlike the others he is sincere with them. He does not come to seek their votes only during election times; he does not distribute food to them only during election period, he does not visit their homes only when election is around the corner; he does not pay their hospital bills only during election. No, he does these and many others REGULARLY, almost daily and there is no pretence about it.

Our last appeal to Moddibo is that if you so much care about the people of Kwara, then use your column to raise issues that will help Kwarans. There are general issues such as the level of unemployment and what the federal government can do to help. Must every state be under the control of PDP before they enjoy their fundamental entitlements as Nigerians? Can you not help speak to the Federal Government about better budget allocation to states?

Adebayo is the president of Ilorin Emirates Patriots