Unknown to many, the death of Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki came exactly six years after the demise of his godson and former Kwara State governor, Rear Admiral Mohammed Alabi Lawal (retd).

Lawal, it will be recalled, died in a London hospital on November 15, 2006.

Some natives of Ilorin expressed surprise at the coincidence of exit date of the two leaders.

A school teacher, while lamenting the death of Saraki, said that "we have lost the man who brought Kwara State to the pinnacle of political map in Nigeria. Even those who are in the opposition know that he worked for the progress of the state throughout his life."

The face-off between Saraki and Lawal reached the climax in London prior to the 2003 general elections.

Saraki, in an interview granted one of the soft sell magazines in Nigeria, had explained that he parted ways with his godson because of irreconciliable differences.

"We met in London and when I tried to greet him (Lawal) on the corridors of the venue, he snubbed me. Your Excellency, Your Excellency, he just looked back and moved ahead without acknowledging the compliments.

"It was that bad and since then, I resolved that I will not mind to contest as governor of Kwara State to see Lawal out," Saraki was quoted as saying in the interview.

The feud eventually led to the exit of Saraki and his loyalists from the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to the People Democratic Party (PDP).

Lawal, equally in one of the interviews published by the same soft-sell magazine after he lost the governorship seat to Senator Bukola Saraki, said he was a fulfilled man afterall.

"He (Saraki) is the first person I will talk to after I wake up and the last person I will speak with before I go to bed. I became uncomfortable, so to say," Lawal was quoted as saying.