By Alabi Mustapha
So, where did the self-appointed activists and Twittering/WhatsApping public analysts go to last week in Kwara State when our brother Bukola Saraki, ex-Senate President and Leader of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), dehumanised Kwarans, treated them like some monkeys, and rubbished our national identity? Why did this issue catch attentions at the national level, but our own usual activists and senior advocates of the masses here are downplaying it as if nothing ever happened?
Are they saying they didn’t see how our people, worshippers and other passersby, were horsewhipped by security men attached to Emperor Bukola Saraki who has scant regard for human dignity? His security men were whipping people just for him to gain his ways and he supported it with his approving silence. Didn’t they see how our symbolic naira notes were flung into the air from his car for people to hustle for? Ain’t that debasing? Ain’t that disrespectful of our national identity? Ain’t that an attack on human dignity? Ain’t that barbaric politics? But in the midst of all these, our defenders of the masses went AWOL. They didn’t hit the street or plan solidarity rally. No Twitter Space.
I know how Saraki could have been the first person to take to his social media handles in his usual holier than thou manner to condemn the incident if were another person. He would have said it was unacceptable, undemocratic, bla bla bla… Why is he not finding his voice? It means he supported and enjoyed it through and through. Silence is approval.
The incident that happened at the Ilorin Central Mosque only goes to show that Saraki is still the emperor he has been. He has obviously not learnt anything from the O to ge revolution where our people sent him packing on account of many things, including his pride, arrogant behaviour and dehumanising conducts. To show his followers that they were not human enough, we have seen many pictures of the Emperor sitting while others are standing even when there are seats scattered in the building. Was it not the Emperor that took our own royal fathers we revere to welcome an alagbe (young, oyibo artiste) and cows from outside Nigeria in his scandalous, dubious and failed Shonga Farms project? I shudder when I see brainwashed PDP folks celebrating the failed Shonga Farms and other white elephant investments of Saraki as achievements. Saraki should come out to tell us how much has Kwara got as returns on investment in Shonga Farms, Kwara Malls…
In all, Saraki’s conduct was a show of shame especially that it happened on a Friday when our people were going to worship. It was reminiscent of his dark, ugly days when the dignity of the Kwara person was carelessly attacked. It flashes our memories back to our brothers and sisters who have died in stampede as caused by reckless actions like this. The new order Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has brought to Kwara is the one where the Governor passes with people hardly noticing. No siren! No flogging people left, right and centre. No madness! The new order is people being empowered with millions of naira through KWASSIP in a dignifying manner, not the like of degrading politics of throwing naira notes for those whom they see as hungry to catch.
As for our self-appointed activists and Twittering/WhatsApping public affairs analysts, no much surprise. They are also complicit in this human indignity, disregard for the nation and celebration of poverty. Shame!
Alabi Mustapha writes from Ilorin West Local Government Area
