By Joe Adedeji, Ilorin.
The Kwara Elders of Thought; a group of elderly politicians in Kwara State, has declared its support for the demolition of ‘Ile Arugbo’ belonging to late Dr. Olusola Saraki by the government.
The Elders of Thought in a statement signed by their Chairman; Engr. Zaari Abdulkareem and Secretary, Alhaji Baba Olosasa respectively said the governor should be rest assured of their support.
“We enjoin His Excellency to be rest assured that the progressive-minded Kwarans who championed the ‘O to Gee’ campaign in 2018-2019 are solidly behind him in his effort to move Kwara State and Kwarans out of bondage and slavery,” the elders said.
They also commended the governor for taking the bold step to recover the said land used as Ile Arugbo by the Saraki family.
They added; “We also urge the governor to take urgent steps to recover about 90 other properties so far identified to have been dubiously acquired by officials of the immediate past government.
“We have followed the arguments of the parties concerned, and have gathered adequate information on the Ile Arugbo recovery process.
“We also investigated the parties’ claims and counter-claims, and are convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that the Kwara State Government under the leadership of Mallam AbulRahman AbdulRazaq had taken the right decision by recovering the property that rightly belongs to the government and people of Kwara State,” the elders said.
They said that the reaction by Saraki family and their sympathizers was normal and expected.“The protests witnessed before, during and after the recovery of the landed property are typical acts of resistance to change and fear of uncertainty,” the elders said.
The elders of thought however said that the old people in the state including those coming to the ‘Ile arugbo’ for peanut would be adequately taken care of under the government’s Social Intervention Programme.
“It is our belief that the old women (Arugbos) displaced from Ile Arugbo would be accommodated in the comprehensive Social Intervention.
Program of Gov Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq as enunciated in his year 2020 budget proposal.
“If, however, Saraki family is interested in sustaining their own Ile Arugbo concept, we advise them to adopt President Buhari’s intervention through which the federal government pays old people (Arugbos) the sum of N5, 000 without having direct personal contact with any of them,” the elders added.