Date: 2015-09-03

Today, I read a rabble-rousing article written by one Niyi Akinnaso on the Senate President. At first, I felt profoundly disturbed; but when I remembered Wayne Walter Dyer's words: 'when you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself,' I felt honour bound to offer a word of advice that these critics may abstain from their daily documentation of diatribes against the Leader.

Granted, defeat is bad - we are well aware - but whither the path of honour for losers? What else would they have done? 'Corrupt Saraki eats the humble pie,' when will you ever give us a new story? And to all the madibos who think it's rational to feign facile pessimism which passes for criticism, when will you ever be optimistic enough to relieve the withdrawal you have inspired in your readers?

It is predictable that the staggering achievements of Senator Bukola Saraki and his unflinching display of resolute leadership would keep armchair critics busy beyond obsession. I have no doubt that the Senate President himself understands that muckraking and calumnies are his critics' arsenal; thus carving time out of his schedule to debunk the baseless claims of these relevance-seekers would be nothing short of doing the worthless.

I, for one, appreciate the chutzpah of having to put pen to paper for a just cause; but for the apparently paranoid who see nothing good in the Senate President, I have an advice that would not involve having to undergo a psychoanalytic examination– which in some cases cannot even be ruled out.

Here is my advice: for five successive days, try to hone your writing skill, without pretence or hypocrisy, take time to accentuate the slightest virtue that you have seen in the Leader. Write what you think he could do to make improvements, appreciate a leader blessed with a life as eclectic and prosperous as his political pursuits, and then juxtapose your positive view with the atrocious ones you have published in the past. It is only by doing so that you will refrain from getting unnecessarily enthralled in political propaganda and negativity. That is what constitutes the art of being known as a candid critic.

It's absolutely amazing that those critics, who are notoriously bent on dragging the name of the Senate President through the mud, all seem to agree that only a man endowed with enviable political charisma could lead the 8th Senate, and compliment President Muhammadu Buhari's efforts; and Dr Bukola Saraki embodies this. Irrespective of your incessant brouhaha, the Senate President now champions the cause of leadership with great panache.

Whosoever is endowed with more than mere intuitive understanding would view the amusing but odd antagonistic views of Saraki's die-hard critics and their evil wishes on Kwara, as mere hallucination caused by the Senate President's successive victories. Kindly sheathe your sword and face the future with equanimity.

Sheriff Olanrewaju writes from Ilorin.