On the other hand the Governors alleged that Dr. Olusola Saraki did not allow them to perform. More so he always dictates to them what to do. Either he had been dictating to them or just merely advising them on what to do, we could never know what transpired between Dr. Olusola Saraki and the privileged Governors in those areas. These individuals included Adamu Atta from Okene, now in Kogi State. At that time Saraki did not pick any one around Ilorin area that could have been closer home to him. With the feud that developed between Atta and Saraki In the next dispensation Saraki crossed over to UPN to endorse its candidate for the Governor, Chief Cornelius Adebayo. Unfortunately the Military, 'The Pepper Soup Generals' under Buhari, terminated the election of Chief Adebayo. We believed that there was nothing much in place for us to measure the relationship between Adebayo and Saraki as of the time his Governorship was terminated

When Kogi was carved out from the old Kwara State and an opportunity came for a civilian Governor under Babangida, Shaaba Lafiagi, from Patigi, was the favorite of Dr. Saraki as the Governor. I belief things were not that sour between Saraki and Shaaba before the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Election. To actually measure the relationship between Shaaba and Saraki was a little bit difficult for an outsider. Given the fact that they were in the same Party, and looking at it from a layman's perspective substantiated that there might not been much strange relationships between the two.

The pressure for Saraki to endorse someone from Ilorin town mounted in 1999, not to continue using the excuse that Ilorin being the State capital should not produce a Governor, that any good man could be appointed as the State Governor. Lawal came to the scene through the back door. As revealed by Saraki, he was not the favorite person for the job. Saraki was very skeptical about the sincerity of Lawal to be the next civilian Governor of the State that he could not be trusted. Since it was Dr. Bukola Saraki that introduced Lawal to Dr. Olusola Saraki, the pressure was that it should be Dr. Bukola that should 'kick' him out of the Kwara State Government House.

As a military man, Lawal approached issues from the Military perspective still trying to get the Military mentality off his system and met his doom as Saraki mentioned recently. Lawal's excuse was that Saraki obstructed his 'lofty programs' that he had mapped out for the State. I talked about the State of affairs in the State in one of my pieces, that there was nothing to write home about in Kwara State. "Knock! Knock! 2003! What is Shaking in Kwara State? "No Shaking 2003, Son of Aladerin…"

Did Lawal misunderstood Saraki by not allowing him to meet with the President when he visited Kwara State. The State needed 'who is who' in the State to meet and dialogue with the President especially on what the State needs from the Federal Government. Did Lawal misunderstood the implication of not extending an invitation to his mentor to honor the President even though Dr. Saraki could go to Aso Rock and meet with the President without much problem? With Lawal going to the radio and television warning those not invited to the functions for the visiting President not to show up at the functions regardless whom the individual might be in the State. That was direct enough to tell Dr. Saraki not to attend. That was mortifying.

My mom would not go to the Government House if she were not invited. The butcher in the market would not do that either and even not all Government officials are privileged to attend such functions in the State where about 99% of the working force are civil servants. Whom was Lawal referring to then not to attend the function, whereas Dr. Olusola Saraki was not given any invitation to attend? It tells that there was much more to the feud between him and Saraki than we thought. People learn from their mistakes in a hard way.

In a situation where all the politicians, under Saraki's Party, have to go to him for money to boost their candidacy, what do we expect Dr. Saraki to do? Let us be realistic, if I have to give you campaign money for your candidacy, I should have some input into what goes on in your area. People that fund a program would like to know how you spend the money. This is business. Politics is business. What are you giving me in return if I have to give you money each time you need to go to your constituency? I believe that is part of what a layman does not understand hence 'the misunderstood' Dr. Saraki's interference. There has been a huge dent in his public relations in most cases.

We might not like the way Dr. Saraki conducts himself with the people of the State in terms of giving them Money and food each time he comes to Ilorin, including this writer. We might misunderstood Dr. Saraki with his lack of reason not to establish industries in Kwara State that could make people to be gainfully employed which could curtail the issue of people sleeping in his house lawn just to see him and get some money. That could still be done. However, lack of job creation for the citizens of Kwara made people think that Saraki only knows about himself. People like this writer might have the same thought about Dr. Olusola Saraki.

Since the time I developed some relations with him in 1991, it's been like watching him from a distance. Unfortunately I have not met him face to face in my life despite our off and on conversation over the telephone. I believe getting closer to him might reveal a lot about him. We just have to be blunt with him about his place in Kwara State, especially that he is responsible for whatever befell the State from the hands of any individuals placed at the helm of affairs in the State. Some Kwarans are saying that one Dr. Saraki is a very "straight forward" individual. Kwarans are very disappointed about the situations in the State today. We need to do better than what is in State now (May 2003).

Saraki might have to do more damage control about his image than what it had been in the past since his son; Dr. Bukola Saraki has been elected the new Governor of Kwara State. This is the time that the misunderstood myth has to be broken by the Governor-elect. It is pertinent for the Governor-elect to convince people, like myself, that his dad is a selfless leader. As of today Dr. Saraki or Saraki's family has no excuse not to bring about some meaningful progress to the State but not spending the four years witch hunting the past ghosts of Lawal's administration. Is it a selfless service or selfish service that we are going to get from Dr. Bukola Saraki?

That is not to say that Saraki is free of any burden about whatever befell Kwara State. He might not realize that until recently. Now that he is clocking 70 this month, May 2003, the time has come for him to make sure that the general public does, not 'a misunderstood person' the legacy that he has spent most of his life building. That image has to be fully displayed to the public through his son who is going to be at the helm of the Kwara State government, beginning May 29, 2003.

Lawal gave Saraki the fight of his political career. He was very brave and visited the issue of the Traditional Rulers that everyone introverted away from, in the past. He might have gone overboard in some areas, however, he was a General at the battlefield, which did not shake Dr. Saraki. The issue of the traditional rulers is one of the areas that I do not take lightly. It is very important to me. His approach by alienating every one in the State killed him. He fought virtually everyone in the State: the Civil Servants, the Police, the Traditional Rulers, the Kingmaker of the State politics, the Speaker of the Kwara House of Assembly, some key members of the State House, and the common people on the street. You do not win a battle through that method. If he had faced just one area, it could have been very easy on him. By alienating, humiliating, and disgracing Dr. Saraki publicly is something that we do not do in any civilized society.

We all know now what is shaking in Kwara State. Since it was reported that the election was peaceful and orderly in the State, I congratulated Dr. Bukola Saraki on his success. Success has a slender body that breaks easily. He has to build on the strength of the State and make a better use of that. We have to say thank you to Lawal for stepping forward to do what he did. Unfortunately majority of Kwarans gave him his report card "oku die kaa to", like my people always say. That means his efforts fell short of peoples' expectations. He should take it as a man and accept the peoples' verdict and move on with his life. He could go back and mend fences. Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely, so goes the saying, and the price is very high. Believe it or not for the little that you did some Kwarans would say thank you at least for trying.

The electorate has challenged the Dynasty, and the Dynasty has challenged itself in Kwara State. The excuse in the past had been that the Governors or elected officials refused to listen to the words of wisdom coming from Dr. Olusola Saraki. Now that his son is the Governor-elect for the State there will be nothing to complain about. If Dr. Bukola Saraki does not listen to his father's advice and do whatever he is advised to do in improving Kwara State who else would listen and move the State forward.

Kwarans are looking for someone who will bring the State out from the CRATER of poverty, retrogressive programs that it has been since 1967. Fortunately, both Saraki's are medical Doctors that could possibly heal the crippled Kwara State at least and could find medical solutions to the sick State of Kwara. Dr. Bukola Saraki has to surround himself with people that meant well for the State not just those looking for political spoils or perks. Throughout his campaign, I did not clutch any issue that Bukola talked about in moving Kwara State to the Promised Land.

The fact that the election was peaceful made a lot of difference to me as a Kwaran in the whole election spectrum. No one should be surprised about the impact of Dr. Saraki's political wave in the State by winning 21 seats out of 24 members of the State House of Assembly, National Assembly and the State Governor and the President as well. Like Bukola said, "no victor no vanquish." Let it be that way for the State of Harmony. We are going to keep our fingers crossed and watch Dr. Saraki's administration unfolding, with no witch hunting but for progress. If any of Lawal's administration committed an offence, allow the court to deal with the situation. Not looking for every single tiny winy issue that could divert Saraki's administration from moving forward. I am going to take a very keen interest at Dr. Saraki's performance. He has no excuse not to perform. He owes no one anything of his choice of who works for him. His father has helped others in the past. Bukola should have a free hand on how to move the State forward. Kwara State is blessed with enormous human resources that could change the State overnight, for good; depending on what direction Dr. Bukola Saraki is looking at.

The most important point is where do we go from here. Are Kwarans adequately educated as to know their rights and their future and how they need to get there? Are they going to be beggars for the rest of their life, from generation to generation? Are they going to keep on drowning water from the stream that is about 5 kilometers away from home? What will a town with a population of 200 do with a movie theater, while they were unable to feed their families well? A town with two community Health Centers with no equipments to use hence turns the clinics into the "Animal Kingdom" where they congregate for their meetings, social gatherings, and rest rooms. What about the red talc on the people dresses and faces while traveling home from the farm or visiting neighbors in other towns and cities and even within the town itself. What happens to the buoyant Yam Festival of the 70s when everyone rejoiced at their heavy harvest in town?

What is Bukola's administration going to do about yet untapped natural resources in the State, especially the tourist business, the dilapidated abandoned industries like Tate & Lye, Math Co., Phillip Morris, Sugar Cane plantation in Bacita, or Jebba Paper Mill? What about brain gain, any plan for that?

Dr. Bukola Saraki should be reminded about the availability of well and highly talented Kwarans all over the world. The only problem he might have is his ability to contact them to help him build the State. Kwara State can sustain itself if we put all our resources together, plan very well, tap those natural and human resources, and bail Dr. Bukola Saraki out from embarrassing the Dynasty, and save his administration come 2007.

The choice is HIS.

God bless you.