Crystal Place Demolition: The real enemy of Kwara has been unmasked

By Dr. Opeyemi Aregbesola

When a man is drowning, he clings to whatever he sees to stay afloat but in a bid to do that, he drags everything down with him. The drowning of the government of AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, as evident in the outcome of the last Local Government elections, has made the government so jittery that they have begun moves to bring down their political adversaries. The modus operandi is easy to deduce; they have targeted the properties of two influential Kwarans, Dr. Bukola Saraki and Hon. Mashood Mustapha (MM), for demolition and they are promoting smear campaigns against them to cover up this administration’s ineptitude. The strategy may have worked in the past but it’s stale now as Kwarans have finally realised who their real enemies are.

Dr. Bukola Saraki and Hon. Mashood Mustapha are two prominent sons of Ilorin Emirate who have distinguished themselves in their fields of endeavours. Their influence resonates throughout the country. Dr. Saraki went into the Senate to make an impact and despite all the campaign of calumny against him, he is still standing tall today with his integrity intact. Not only did Saraki go into the Senate to make a difference but his contributions to human capacity development will be written in the annals of history. There is no denying the fact that Saraki built people and propelled a lot of Kwarans to the peak of their careers. Majority of those who are spewing vitriol against him have benefitted from Saraki’s dynasty in one way or another. To bring such a man down can only happen if God allows it.

Hon. MM, on the other hand, has been a pillar of support to so many families. Aside from being a politician with a formidable political structure in Kwara state, MM has built a business empire that will stand the test of time. What have the traducers built? Their heart is filled with hate because MM is a man they wish they were. MM is bold and courageous and his intimidating persona sends shivers down the spine of his adversaries. It’s not surprising that they are trying to bring him down; they can’t level up to his standards and their hatred is a reflection of their low self-esteem.

As a seasoned politician, MM keyed into the vision of the progressives and joined in the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the build-up to the 2015 general elections. He has given his all to the success of the APC but all he has gotten in return are persecution and losses. Even more painful is the fact that those spearheading the destruction of MM were nowhere to be found when sacrifices were being made to strategically position the APC as a party to be reckoned with. MM sacrificed his relationship with the then Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to pave the way for other political interests in Kwara to taste power and he has suffered grave consequences for that decision. The same person whom he refused to initiate Court proceedings against when he was unjustly disqualified from the APC Governorship primary election and the same person whom he went around Kwara campaigning for has now drawn a battle line against him.

The foregoing is not surprising because all the stalwarts who fought tooth and nail for the victory of Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq have all tasted the bitter pill of betrayal. From Hon. MM to Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Alhaji Yaman Abdullahi, Hon. Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa (BOB) and other eminent personalities that are too enormous to mention, everyone has been totally disregarded and side-lined.

The good thing is that majority of the political actors who championed the Otoge movement as well as their supporters have now seen that they are worse off today than they were before the Otoge political revolution. I must state that the greatest beneficiary of Otoge is Dr. Saraki. He may be out of power but his contributions to the socio-economic development of the state are now being appreciated. Despite the tremendous improvement in Federal allocations to the state, Kwara has not recorded any remarkable milestones under this administration. From over-bloated contract sums to poorly built infrastructures and political highhandedness, everyone has now realized that the new Sheriff in town is inept, brutal and unforgiving.

The destruction of a property with valid documents is a pointer to the vindictive nature of the governor. The attempt to twist the facts and justify the untoward destruction of Hon. MM’s business complex, Crystal Place, has fallen flat because undisputed evidence has been provided to discredit the lies of the AbdulRazaq-led government that the land was allotted for a car park. Up till now, no one from this government has been able to provide proof to back this claim. A government built on lies and propaganda will not enjoy the people’s support because efforts are being misdirected. The effort that would have been used to develop the state and deliver the dividends of democracy to the people is being utilized by the government to fight its political opponents.

Tackling the worsening insecurity in the state is not the priority of this government and that’s why our governor was embarrassingly called out alongside two other governors at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting of September 4, 2024, for failing to submit Kwara State report on State Police. Whether or not the government met the September 9 deadline is still unknown because governance has become a secret affair in Kwara. This is not surprising because Kwara is being governed by a man who prefers to junket than face the daunting task of governance. Since 2019 till date, this administration has not attracted a single foreign investment despite the governor’s penchant for foreign trips. Sadly, the few local investments in the state are being destroyed based on political vendetta under the guise of Urban renewal. Urban Renewal is a welcome development but humanity must not be lost while trying to restructure the city. Destruction of properties and compulsory acquisition of assets for public use should be done in a manner that will leave all parties satisfied. This principle was not applied in the destruction of Hon. MM’s property and posterity will not forget the perpetrators of the vindictive act.

Dr. Bukola Saraki and Hon. Mashood Mustapha are indestructible and all efforts to promote smear campaigns against these two eminent personalities through lies and propaganda will be resisted by well-meaning Kwarans. The mask is off and the real face of the enemy has been revealed.

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