THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY SIDES OF BUKOLA SARAKI.


I am of the school of thought that says "There is no bad person is without a flicker of good", that is why I always argue profusely with people that always criticise Bukola Saraki without stating his good sides.


Senator Bukola Saraki was a two term governor of Kwara state and during his tenure as governor, he brought lots of development to the state. In fact, unarguably he remained the best Kwara state governor from 2003 till date.

Among the numerous achievements of Bukola Saraki as governor is the establishment of Tsonga farm, Kwara state University, Kwara state aviation college, Kwara state diagnostic center etc.

Bukola Saraki through his influence also brought Dangote group to the state and helped in the uplifting of small scale and cottage industries.



Amidst the listed achievements of Bukola Saraki , there are lots of fraud and treachery embedded.

Let take for instance the popular Tsonga farm, Bukola Saraki established Tsonga farm with the false hope of encouraging commercial agriculture in the state. The government cleared large hectares of land, procured agricultural inputs like fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides, and distributed lands to the farmers. The 13 Zimbabwe farmers were given 1000 hectares of land each . The state government also provided the initial equipment for land clearing and guaranteed initial credit facilities for the farmers.


It will intrest you to know that despite all the state resources expended on this project, the state government can only lay claim to 25% while we were made to believe the remaining 75% belongs to 5 banks. But the issue is, where is Songa farm rice, milk, eggs and chickens? Songa farm is now more of liability to the state government than asset. Blame not Maigida but Bukola Saraki.





Another pointer to Bukola Saraki's ugly side is Ilorin water reticulation project. The Ilorin water reticulation project that have become conduit pipe through which the state is milked of its scarce resources started in the year 2009 during Bukola time as a governor.

The project has gulped several billions of naira since almost a decade of its commencement but it is sad that the light has not been sighted at any end of the tunnel. No doubt, the project is one of the Bukola Saraki money making projects.



How may people know that the state government under Bukola Saraki spent about N3.1 billion on the dysfunctional Cargo terminal and aviation college. About N1.2 billion were spent on setting up the aviation college and N1.9 was expended on the construction of the useless Cargo terminal.


My question is, how many Kwarans can afford to send their wards to aviation college and of what benefits is Cargo terminal to kwarans?


The secret behind all these projects was never for the interest of the Kwara masses but of utmost benefit for Bukky. Bukola Saraki to the detriment of Kwara masses deliberately came up with projects like Aviation college, Kwara football academy and Cargo terminal just to milk the state.

Again of what benefit is a graduate of the aviation college who stand less than 15% chance of ever securing a job? Of what importance is a cargo terminal when the industrialisation of Kwara state remain a pipe dream due to siphoning of funds meant for development? Of what importance is football academy when the centre is unproductive and the staffs are being owe backlog of salaries?

During his tenure as a governor, while Bukola Saraki was delivering with his right hand, he was siphoning with his left hand. He borrowed to execute some bogus projects like the fly over at Post Office in Ilorin which start and end at the same spot. In fact, the flyover created more traffic gridlock, solving none. He simply construct a flyover for the sake of having a project to account for the funds allocated to it while we all know it was a means to another end; embezzlement of public fund.

He made the state insolvent through useless borrowing, bankrupting future administrations for the foreseeable future. This was a deliberate attempt to make sure no one would challenge is shameless hold on the state political scene, while he remain the de facto governor.

Now that all is about to fall apart for Sauron, the arch villian, he suddenly realise his ill gotten wealth pales in the presence of an idea which its time has arrived. Kwarans says: the emperor must abdicate or be dethrone. "Oto gee".