By Shehu Suleiman Kayode
To all Nigerians, I say, happy democracy day. Just like our darling Chief Moshood Kashimowo Olawale Abiola (of the blessed memory) was given back his mandate or a new birth via national recognition on every June 12 of every year, as it stands for our modern democracy day, so also our anticipated Kwara State look wears a new beautiful gown. Kwarans were no doubt tired of rulership, dictatorship method of governing, and a democratic system of government as constituted in Nigeria’s governing book (Constitution). People trooped out in masses to weed out the parasitic plants affecting the growth of our state’s plantation, hence, entrusted our mandates to the hands of those that appeared to us angelic.
It’s an unarguable fact that ever since the inauguration of new pilots in the state, the state has witnessed a new transformation. Kudos to the chief driver, the executive Governor of Kwara state, A.A and his other committed cabinets whose motive is to birth a good Kwara for all. Your efforts to making Kwara a great state again cannot be denied.
My point of discourse is not to sing a song of praises to the governor and the other working bodies in the state, the topic did not carry that, it would be a major discourse some other time.
To the slumbering Kwarans, most notably my fellow ones from Ilorin West/Asa Local government, I write. In the last general election, we all clamoured for change. We wanted, by all means, uproot a robust tree with its stem, we never cared to see whom we are voting in as our representative both in the state and at the national assembly. Yes, we paid no attention, and it was understandable because our mindset was that even if a goat were brought to counter any PDP candidate in the state, it would be voted.
Our carelessness led us to vote an incapacitated man to represent us (Ilorin West/Asa) at the National Assembly. It’s quite unfortunate that our curiosity and keenness to kick out bad eggs in the state blindfolded us from seeing the harms coming forth in voting Hon. Yekeen Alajagusi as our representative.
Before the election, he was very active and was indeed one of the liberators that sounded the bell of change in the state. Still, at the verge of the election, he was reported to be very sick after he had secured the slot to represent his constituency at the national assembly. He battles the sickness that no poster of him was found both during primaries and even main election. Maybe to play us or to make us vote the man out of sympathy. To show that we care and not cruel, he was considered and was voted in to be our spokesman there in Abuja under his deceitful chant of Mekunu Agenda. The Mekunus he’s representing enjoins him not.
It’s a year in office for them all, but unfortunately, a year of zero achievements it is for my honourable, so disheartening. If one could recall, his constituents voted him for a better representation. The poor, helpless citizens voted him, the mekunus, thinking that he would be a Messiah to his constituency, unlike the gone unknown representatives whose mission is only to pocket the honey meant for their electorates or citizens in general. What makes a difference now?
It’s so pathetic that the said honourable is nowhere to be found in the trying time that his constituents needed him most as the state wages war against COVID-19. Other elected bodies have been ups and downs to eschew their constituents from the abject hardship the pandemic has subjected them to. Where’s our representative? He’s on oblivion, sad.
Silence is golden as we are fondly reminded, works not all the time. There are times we are to talk. Utterances made as at when due are golden and better than silence. It’s now to speak; it is now to call on him, it’s now to let him realise that he represents not only his family; He represents many heads, and those heads that brought him to power expect more than sitting at home, enjoying the chilled zobo alone. Let him prove to us that we have not erred in bringing him to power.
