Islamic Clerics, Supporters, Others Recall Late Olusola Saraki’s Life And Legacy At Prayer Service Held To Mark  His 11th Death Anniversary In Ilorin

Friends, associates, religious leaders, and well-wishers  on Tuesday, November 14, 2023,  gathered   in honour  of  Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki  and shared their favorite memories of the former Second Republic Senate Leader  during the prayer service held to mark his 11th  death anniversary in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.

 The annual prayer session was held at the deceased politician’s  residence , Ilofa Road, GRA, Ilorin .  The prayer service was presided over by  the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Muhammad Bashir .

The event was attended by   Kwara state PDP Chairman,  Hon Tunde  Mohammed, his immediate predecessor, Alhaji Kola Shittu,  State PDP Secretary, Mr AbdulRahman Kayode  Abdulahi, former Kwara state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Alhaji Saka Isau SAN,  Alhaji Kayode Maja,  Alhaji Musa Abdulahi, former member of Kwara state House of Assembly, Hon Jimoh Raheem Agboola,  Alhaji Saka Onimago, Ambassador Nihinlola Akanbi, Hon Nimata Ibrahim,  Alhaji Saka Kutigifu,  Hon Ebun Owolabi,  Alhaja Aminah Obadara, Alhaji  Ahmad Al-Hassan, former Commissioner for Industry and Solid Minerals, Alhaji Lateef Okandeji, Alhaji Biodun Baraje , Alhaji Lanre Mustapha, Hon Kazeem Adekanye and other Kwara state PDP bigwigs.

Late Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki, a medical doctor and  a notable Nigerian political figure, died on November 14, 2012, at the age of 79.

In his short sermon, the Grand Mukadam of Ilorin; Sheikh Sulaiman Abubakar Soroh (Dan–Borno), urged  supporters of the late politician not to lose hope noting that God’s mercies may come when least expected while noting that losing hope would amount to committing a sin. He also submitted that if someone continues to offend God and He continues to bless him or her, it is simply an opportunity for such a person to stop committing sins.

  Also speaking, Sheikh AbdulRazaq Aduagba said attendees of the event were those who  have continued to appreciate the late Dr Sola Saraki for impacting their lives noting that  ‘this is  a good development’ cognizant that he had though died eleven years ago, but people still treat anything that have to do with him with reverence.

He condemned  the role of some among elites in the state ahead of   the 2019   general election   noting  that they promoted rumours that  certain properties in Abuja are owned by some people and after the election they could not produce evidence and  no one talks about it anymore.

Aduagba also urged parents to show interest in shaping the future of their children while emphasizing the ‘temporary nature’ of positions of authority.

He also said some people usually become friends of those in positions of authority whilst they are public office holders but will leave once it ends, saying   ‘we have ore ipo, and ore igba’.

 Also extolling the virtues of the late Dr Sola Saraki while talking to journalists including Team@orientactualmags.com, Hon Babatunde Mohammed called the former Senate Leader a great philanthropist.

‘First and foremost I want to say that I  had the opportunity  to  serve as one of our highly respected father, late Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki’s Personal Assistants. I was with him for almost 10 years as his personal assistant. I want to say that Baba lived a fulfilled life. Baba is somebody that when he was alive he was always happy when he is able to assist the less privileged. And I want to say that across all the states that we have in Nigeria, I cannot be mentioning names, but many wealthy politicians  even came to him for assistance, and he   happily supported them financially, and he did this for close to 40 years. So, Baba lived a fulfilled life and he was always happy to help people.

I think it’s highly imperative to note that even when there was no politicking, each time the military took over power in those days, Baba will continue to  assist people. Most especially whenever there is hardship in the community; Baba will come home and ensure that he finds a way to make everybody happy. This is a great lesson to us as politicians and even to the government. I want to say that we are very happy that our own leader today, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the former president of the Senate, has been doing the same thing. He lost election gallantly in 2019. Oga has continued to  assist people and he did not even allow that to demoralize him. He has been helping people,  and assisting people across all the 16 local governments that we have in Kwara state, even outside Kwara State. And look at what happened recently in the 2023 general election, he equally lost. Even with that, our leader ,Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has been assisting people.

I want to appeal to the present government in Kwara state that with the present hardship in the towns,  and  communities  in the state, I think the government should find a way to make sure that they do everything humanly and legally possible to reduce the hardship. I think instead of the present governor,  His Excellency  Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq  engaging in  politicking now, I think he should find a way to ensure that everybody in Kwara state is taken care of because the hardship is becoming unbearable. I want to call on the government and even those that are in government apart from the governor: the senators, the members of the national assembly, the house of reps, the house of assembly members and everybody to try as much as possible to make sure they impact and try their best to make sure that this hardship is reduced. 

So, today, we are praying for our highly respected father, late Dr. Abubakar Olushola Saraki because he impacted people meaningfully, for instance, somebody like me, Baba brought me up. He did everything that was humanly possible to ensure that today we are one of those politicians that are recognized in Kwara State. Apart from this building that belongs to Baba, he has so many properties in Ilorin here.  For example the land at Olorunogo , somebody built a filling station there and was using it for several years without paying a single kobo to baba.

Baba left it for so many people that are using them. That is the type of people that I think people should continue to emulate. So, it is my prayer that God almighty will give Baba eternal rest. May his soul continue to rest in peace’ he said. 

Alhaji Mohammed  also allayed public fears about  a one-party state submitting that such a thing will never happen in Nigeria.

‘That will never happen. For instance, I’ve been in PDP now for  over 20  years. And I want to say that PDP, despite the fact that we lost election in 2023, is still a party to reckon with. And as we speak, in so many states now, PDP is still very strong. So ,the issue of  a one-party state will not happen in Nigeria’ he asserted-Team@orientactualmags.com
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