The Kwara State Government has declared three days of mourning following the death of the strongman of the state’s politics, Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki.
The mourning period, which started on Wednesday, also had the state government declaring today a work free day to enable the workers attend the burial of Saraki.
The position of the Kwara State Government was made known by Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, the Chief Press Secretary to the state Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed.
The statement, which came just as prominent Nigerians started eulogizing Abubakar, added: “Meanwhile, the Kwara State Governor has declared today, Wednesday, 14th November, 2012 a work free day and three days of mourning, to allow Kwarans attend the burial of late Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki, while a 20 man committee on the burial of His Eminence, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki has been set up.
“Members of the committee which is headed by Alhaji Saka Onimago are Barrister Anthony Towoju, Alhaji Kayode Issa, Alhaji Tajudeen Oloje, Alhaji Yekeen Ilobu, Alhaji Sule Maja, Prince Yemi Afolayan, Alhaji Ali Olola, Alh Lekan Alabi, Alhaji Mohammed Saraki and Alh Ope Saraki. Others are Alhaja Muslimat Ibrahim, Hon. Ganiyu Abdulkareem, Hon. Adamu Sabi, Hon. Mrs Owolabi, Alhaji Issa Hajia Nimota, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, Alhaji Wahab Oba and Alhaji Abdulsalam Suleiman. Alhaji M. A Shehu is the secretary of the committee.”
Son of late Saraki and former Governor of Kwara State, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has paid tributes to his father.
In a Facebook and Twitter message, the younger Saraki wrote: “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.
“Truly! to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return (al-Baqarah:156).
“With gratitude to Almighty Allah, we announce the passage to eternity of our beloved father and grandfather, His Eminence, Oloye (Dr.) Abubakar Olusola Saraki, Waziri of Ilorin, former Senate Leader, Second Republic, Federal Republic of Nigeria who answered the call to the great beyond, in the early hours of today in Lagos (17 May 1933 – 14 Nov 2012).
“We take solace in knowing that our father lived an exemplary life of service, and selfless devotion to development of his people and nation. Baba will be sorely missed. We pray for the repose of his soul that Almighty Allah grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus. Amin.”
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan commiserated with Saraki’s family and the people of his home state, Kwara.
Jonathan said Saraki devoted his long and very successful career in politics to serving the people of Kwara State..
He urged them to be consoled by the knowledge that their departed father, leader and mentor lived a very successful and fulfilled life, rising to national prominence by dint of hard work, uncommon generosity, political sagacity, dedication and wholesome commitment to the service of his people and the entire nation.
President Jonathan believes that the late Dr. Saraki will be long remembered and eulogized as a consummate politician, an astute grassroots mobiliser, and a political colossus with awe-inspiring powers of political organisation.
The President has no doubts that this public-spirited politician will always occupy a place of honour in the hearts of his people, supporters, friends and associates across the nation.
He believes that the ordinary people of Kwara in particular will always remember the “Oloye” with great affection because of the constant support they received from him.
The President further noted that Dr. Saraki’s brand of people-oriented politics and his success in building on his strong support base to contribute positively to Nigeria’s political development as a powerful voice in the nation’s dominant political parties, as the Senate Majority Leader in the Second Republic, and as the ultimate reference point in the politics of Kwara state for decades, have assured him of a place amongst Nigeria’s heroes of democracy.
President Jonathan urged Nigerians to emulate Dr Saraki’s patriotic commitment to national unity, politics without bitterness as well as his magnificent spirit of philanthropy.
He prayed that God Almighty will grant his soul eternal rest.
In his tribute, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar compared the death of Saraki to the fall of a big star from the galaxy of Nigerian politics.
In a condolence message released by his media office in Abuja on Wednesday, the former vice president said the late Saraki was not only tremendously influential but also uncommonly compassionate.
According to him, his uncommon compassion was the source of his political relevance and influence among his people.
The Turaki Adamawa acknowledged that despite occasional controversies that trailed his politics, few Nigerian politicians could rival Saraki’s compassion towards the ordinary people, adding that he touched so many lives while he lived.
A former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, described Saraki as an uncommon politician.
Kalu said in an era when politics moved from seeking the good of the majority to self-centeredness, Saraki stood firm by his age long belief of communal living and still cared for his constituent till he died.
Kalu, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Emeka Obasi, said the few times he had the opportunity of visiting Saraki in his base in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, he saw why he was popular and won elections with so much ease in the state.
Obasi quoted Kalu as saying: “His eminence, the Waziri of Ilorin operated an open door policy that allowed even the downtrodden to mix with him, to the point that he eats with those that many regard as commoners from the same plate.
“His humility is legendary, his giving without limit.
“I know of so many people whose lives he has touched and wonder if there will be anyone capable of fitting into the very large shoes he has left behind.”
Kalu commiserated with the people and government of Kwara State and Nigerians in general, praying for the repose of the soul of the statesman.
The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, described the death of the Second Republic Senate Leader as “the end of an era of one of Nigeria’s political legends.”
Fayemi in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, said Saraki bestrode the political terrain of Kwara State and the North Central like a colossus during his lifetime.
He lamented that Saraki’s death came at a time when the polity was yet to recover from the shock of the demise of former Oyo State Governor, Alhaji Lam Adesina, who died on Sunday.
The governor noted that Saraki touched the lives of many people in his lifetime through his philanthropy and generosity from which indigent people benefited.
According to him, Saraki has always provided leadership and direction to his political disciples in critical times, adding that his counsel will be sorely missed.
Fayemi explained that Saraki never believed in violence in his political activities and used persuasion in spreading his political ideology.
He said although Saraki was a Muslim, he touched the lives of Christians, Muslims and adherents of traditional religion alike without discriminating against anybody.
Fayemi said, “Despite being a Muslim, Dr. Saraki had a Christian wife and never stopped her from practicing her religion because he believed that religion should be an instrument of unity rather than division.
“It is also on record that Dr. Saraki used to sponsor Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem and Muslim pilgrims to Mecca annually throughout his lifetime.
“This great man positively contributed to the development of his community and country as a medical doctor, businessman, politician, philanthropist and an elder statesman. Our condolences go to the immediate family, the government and the good people of Kwara State and we pray that God will grant them the fortitude to bear this huge loss.”
Senator David Dafinone on Wednesday joined several dignitaries across Nigeria to mourn the death of his colleague and friend, Saraki.
In a condolence message to the family, Senator Dafinone said: “Dr. Saraki as a medical doctor, international businessman, philanthropist and politician gained the respect, trust and love of the entire country and he will be greatly missed.”
Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State described the passing away of Saraki as a colossal loss, not only to the people of Kwara State but also to the entire country.
The governor, in a statement issued in Ibadan on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, said that the news of the death of the `Strongman of Kwara Politics’ came to him as a rude shock, describing it as very unfortunate.
The Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has described the death of Saraki as unfortunate and sad.
In a statement issued by the Director of Communications and Strategy, Semiu Okanlawon, Aregbesola said the death of Saraki is a big loss to the nation.
The governor said Dr. Saraki’s experience, knowledge, versatility and ingenuity in the art and dynamics of lawmaking and politics in general would be missed greatly.
The statement added that the history of Kwara State as well as Nigeria’s politics will be incomplete without a chapter devoted to the contribution of Oloye.
Aregbesola said: “He was a Second Republic Senate leader on the platform of the ruling National Party of Nigeria. Dr. Olusola Saraki for decades bestrode the political firmament of Kwara State like a colossus.
“During his time, he was a shrewd politician, though a conservative, a medical doctor by training, who excelled more on the political turf; astute administrator, a religious leader, bridge-builder, leader of men, and a firm believer in selfless service to his immediate people of Kwara and by extension Nigeria in general.
“No doubt, the personality of this great, old political warhorse would be hard to come by again. Indeed, a huge gulf has been created with the demise of Wazirin Ilorin.
“On behalf of myself and the people of Osun, I offer our condolences to the entire family of Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki, the people of Kwara and Nigerians as a whole. We pray that Almighty Allah grants the departed soul Aljaana Firdaus.”
The Peoples Democratic Party National Vice Chairman (South West), Chief Segun Oni, has described the late strongman of Kwara politics as an outstanding professional, a grassroot man and leader.
Oni, who reacted to Saraki’s death through his Chief Press Secretary, Lere Olayinka, said Kwara State people, Nigerians and in particular, the PDP will miss him so dearly.
He said: “Baba was truly a political timber, a colossus of wide diameter and a wonderful political strategist.
“He was unarguably one of the most successful politicians in this part of the continent of Africa, having controlled the politics of Kwara State for over 40 years.
“Indeed, we have lost a great man, a great man who loved his people passionately and served them diligently.
“We have lost a kingmaker par excellence and a man who in every ways exemplified commitment to the betterment of peoples’ life.
“We have lost a great man who made an enduring foundation for our party, the PDP in Kwara State. May his soul rest in peace.
“We in the PDP will miss him so dearly. We will miss his commitment to the PDP, the party that he brought to limelight in Kwara state.
“It is our prayer that the Almighty Allah will grant him Aljana Fidau and give the government and people of Kwara State, the Saraki family, especially my brother and friend, Senator Bukola Saraki the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” Oni said.
The Action Congress of Nigeria has expressed shock and sadness at the death of Saraki, saying the nation has lost another political titan and a legend of his time.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party described Dr. Saraki as a colossus who possessed an efficient political machinery that he used effectively to rally the people.
The party said: “Dr. Saraki defined his era, and since his entry into politics several decades ago, politics has never been the same again, especially in his native Kwara State, where he became synonymous with the politics of the state.
“Any politician who ignored him in his lifetime did so at his own peril, and only the casualties of his deft political manoeuvring can appreciate his clinical political efficiency.”
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