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Tag: Kwara State

  • Ilorin mob action

    Ilorin mob action

    •The culprits must be apprehended and prosecuted

     Yet another case of mob action in the country further highlighted a social problem that the authorities must urgently address: the resort to self-help in the putative pursuit of justice by the public is condemnable and must be discouraged.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kwara State Police Command, Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, in a statement, gave details of “an unfortunate incident” that occurred on August 20 “at about 09:00 am around the popular Ipata market area of Ilorin.”

    She said “a woman, suspected to be destitute, was sighted wandering around the community; misinformed members of the public wrongly suspected her to be a kidnapper. In the ensuing circumstances, an irate mob descended on the woman, inflicting serious bodily harm.” According to her, upon receiving information about the attack, “Police patrol teams raced to the scene, rescued the victim and rushed her to the General Hospital, Ilorin, for urgent medical attention.”

    However, it turned out that the police intervention was too late. “The attending doctor confirmed her dead as a result of injuries sustained,” the spokesperson said, adding that “a discreet investigation” had commenced.

    The tragedy shouldn’t have happened. It clearly demonstrates the danger of jungle justice: an innocent woman was victimised because the mob acted violently on impulse, without bothering to find out the truth.

    The police noted that jungle justice “not only undermines the rule of law but also poses a grave danger to innocent lives.” This is why the authorities must ensure that those involved in such lawless acts are caught and punished to serve as a deterrent.

    The baseless suspicion that the woman was a kidnapper is a sad commentary on the high level of insecurity in the country. The mob attack, which reflected the sense of apprehension among the populace, certainly cannot be justified by rampant kidnapping in the country. Indeed, the police statement stressed that “Security challenges cannot be resolved through mob action. Rather, they worsen insecurity and erode public safety.”

    Although this incident involved one victim, it evokes memories of the mob killings in Uromi, Edo State, in March, when 16 travellers were attacked and killed by a mob after vigilantes found Dane guns in their vehicle. A viral video of the tragic incident showed how the victims were overpowered, tied to used tyres, doused with petrol, and set ablaze. The locals had concluded that they were kidnappers.

    But there was no evidence to support such a conclusion. Indeed, official accounts confirmed that the victims were hunters, mostly from Torankawa village, Kano State, who were returning home for the Eid-al-Fitr celebration. They were travelling to Kano from Port Harcourt.

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    Importantly, mob action amounts to a violation of the right to life under the Nigerian constitution. Specifically, Section 33 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended) entitles every person in Nigeria to the right to life, and nobody has the power to unlawfully take another person’s life without the due process of the law.

    On the contrary, during mob actions, the mob serves as the prosecutor, the judge, and the executioner. In effect, mob action represents injustice and a breakdown of the legal system.

    The police urged members of the public to be “law-abiding” and “always report suspicious persons or movements to the nearest police formation.” This is the proper action, and should be a strict guide in such matters.

    Notably, in October 2016, a bill for a law to protect persons against “jungle justice” had passed through the Second Reading in the Nigerian Senate. It was sponsored by Senator Dino Melaye. The Anti-Jungle Justice Bill, SB 109 was formally titled ‘Bill for an Act for the Prohibition and Protection of Persons from Lynching, Mob Action and Extrajudicial Execution and Other Related Offences 2016.’ Ultimately, the bill was not signed, to become an Act of the National Assembly.

    The Ilorin incident was yet another reason the authorities must take measures to check jungle justice in the country, including investigations, arrests, and public awareness campaigns. A deliberate, planned response is necessary to stop the problem.

  • Kwara govt hails ban on raw shea butter

    Kwara govt hails ban on raw shea butter

    Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has hailed the ban on exportation of raw Shea butter by President Bola Tinubu.

    He said the step would encourage more production and strengthen the local value chain of the prized cash crop. 

    The President’s directive came as Kwara State prepares to launch its 50-tonne Shea processing factory in Kaiama, the second largest in the country and the biggest owned by a state government. 

    The Shea butter factory is one of the many economic projects of Governor AbdulRazaq. 

    AbdulRazaq said the presidential directive will spur local production, improve quality, and generate jobs across the value chain. 

    He said the Shea butter factory in Kaiama is meant to stimulate economic activities in Kwara North, given its potential to hire several local workers, including women farmers and pickers. 

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    “Locating the factory within Kaiama puts the people at the centre of local Shea production, ensures local ownership of benefits, such as job creation, reduced post harvest losses, and value retention in Kaiama,” the Governor said in a statement on Tuesday. 

    “This project exemplifies backward and forward integration as it combines raw material sourcing, processing, and market access in one locality.”

    Kwara and Niger, among others, are the hearts of Shea nut trees in Nigeria.

    Kwara North alone is credited with over 250,000 nature and producing trees spread across 6,000 hectares of land.

  • Consolidated salary structure: Kwara judiciary workers suspend strike

    Consolidated salary structure: Kwara judiciary workers suspend strike

    The strike embarked upon by the Kwara State Judiciary workers over non-implementation of the Consolidated Judicial Salary Structure (CONJUSS) and review the salaries of judiciary workers has been suspended.

    Chairman Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Kwara State Chapter , Habeeb Yusuf who disclosed this to The Nation.

    Yusuf said the industrial action was suspended following the intervention of the state government.

    He said the Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, contacted the union through the Ministry of Finance that the issues of demand have been approved.

    “So, we suspended the industrial action based on the promise made and pending the time that we would see the proof.

    By the end of next month, we would know if it has reflected in our allocation’, he said.

    In a statement signed by the union’s Public Relations Officer, Aliu Ahmad Gold, obtained by Sahara Reporters, JUSUN said all efforts to engage the Kwara State Government on the matter had failed, leaving them with no option but to embark on industrial action.

    The Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Kwara State Chapter, had on Monday, August 25, 2025, declared an indefinite strike over the alleged refusal of the state government to implement the Consolidated Judicial Salary Structure (CONJUSS).

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    The strike  was also to back their demand for a review of the salaries of judiciary workers.

     The union’s Public Relations Officer, Aliu Ahmad Gold, had said that all efforts by JUSUN to engage the Kwara State Government on the matter had failed.

    The union said the stalemate left them with no other option but to embark on industrial action.

    The union had lamented that salaries and allowances for judiciary staff in Kwara were last reviewed in 2010 under former Governor Bukola Saraki.

    JUSUN’s PRO in the state, Ahmad Gold said the last time the emoluments of Judiciary staff in the state was reviewed was  15 years ago.

    He said no adjustment was made on their take-home  despite inflation and economic hardship.

    The union explained that this disparity in treatment raises concerns about fairness and balance within the state’s governmental system.

    He stressed that if judges and senior judicial officers are treated with respect and provided with welfare packages, judiciary workers who form the backbone of the justice system should not be left behind.

    Gold said several letters and strike notices, including a 21-day ultimatum between July 25 and August 18 and a seven-day notice from August 18 to August 25, were ignored by the government.

    The union had insisted that the implementation of CONJUSS was non-negotiable.

    He said this was why  all judiciary workers in Kwara State were ordered to stay at home until further notice effective August 25.

  • Systematic decimation of Yoruba race in Ifelodun Local Council of Kwara State

    Systematic decimation of Yoruba race in Ifelodun Local Council of Kwara State

    By Otunba Tunde Falola Esq

    In recent times, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State has witnessed an alarming wave of kidnappings and violent attacks, with a disturbing pattern: the majority of the victims are of Yoruba extraction. What initially appeared to be random criminal activity now bears the unmistakable markings of an orchestrated campaign. The repeated targeting of Yoruba farmers, traders, and community leaders in the area suggests not only a breakdown of security but also a calculated attempt at erasing the cultural and demographic presence of the Yoruba people in their ancestral homeland.

    Historical context

    Ifelodun, like much of Kwara State, is predominantly Yoruba, with centuries of cultural heritage rooted in the region. Traditionally known for agriculture, trade, and communal harmony, the area has long been a hub of Yoruba civilisation. However, in the past months,  rising insecurity particularly kidnapping for ransom has disrupted the social and economic fabric of the region. Increasingly, these attacks appear less like opportunistic crimes and more like a systematic strategy to weaken the Yoruba presence, discourage settlement, and instill fear.

    The kidnapping epidemic

    Reports indicate that villages in Ifelodun Local Government particularly Babanla, Oke- Ode to mention but a few have become hotspots for kidnappers who target Yoruba farmers on their farmlands, women traveling to markets, and community elders in recent time .Victims are often released only after heavy ransom payments that impoverish families, while others are killed when ransoms cannot be met. Beyond the immediate trauma, the ripple effects are devastating:

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    Farmers abandon their lands out of fear, the migration to urban centres, leaving villages depopulated while local economies collapse due to insecurity.

    This sustained violence is more than a crime wave; it functions as a slow erasure of the Yoruba identity in the region.

    Systematic Decimation or Neglected Injustice?

    The lack of decisive action by security agencies raises critical questions. How can such frequent abductions persist in one locality without meaningful intervention? Why does the state appear helpless to the suffering of its indigenous people? For many Yoruba in Ifelodun, this helplessness from authorities feels like complicity. Each kidnapping not only terrorises individuals but also chips away at the survival of a race in its homeland.

    The Cultural Cost

    The Yoruba people are not merely individuals; they represent a deep-rooted civilisation of language, religion, art, and tradition. When they are forced off their lands through fear and violence, the cultural heritage tied to those lands is equally endangered. Shrines are abandoned, ancestral homes fall into ruin, and communal festivals lose participants. The kidnapping crisis, therefore, is not just a security issue—it is an existential threat to the continuity of Yoruba identity in Kwara State.

    A call to action

    If the current trajectory persists, Ifelodun may witness a gradual displacement of its Yoruba population. What is happening is not only a humanitarian crisis but also a cultural tragedy. Urgent steps must be taken:

    • Strengthened Security: Deployment of military and police to rural communities to dismantle kidnapping networks.

    • Community Policing: Empowering local vigilantes under state oversight to protect farmlands and villages.

    • Government Accountability: Kwara State authorities must prioritize the safety of indigenous Yoruba communities.

    • National Awareness: Yoruba sociocultural groups, human rights activists, and the media must amplify the plight of Ifelodun Local Government before silence turns to erasure.

    Conclusion

    The abductions in Ifelodun are not isolated crimes but part of a broader pattern threatening the Yoruba race in Kwara State. If unchecked, this systematic decimation will not only erase people but also dismantle centuries of cultural heritage. To remain silent is to endorse erasure; to act is to preserve history, dignity, and the survival of the Yoruba people in their ancestral homeland.

    • Falola is an Abuja based legal practitioner and public affairs analyst

  • Kwara attacks

    Kwara attacks

    • Security agencies need to put in more efforts to check banditry and terrorism

    Deadly bandit attacks in Kwara State grabbed the headlines in a continuing drama of insecurity across the country. The attacks occurred within about a week in two different communities in Ifelodun Local Government Area.

    On August 8, unknown gunmen on motorcycles were reported to have invaded the Babanla community. A resident was quoted as saying the number of those killed or kidnapped could not yet be ascertained, adding that many residents fled to Oreke, a neighbouring community, for safety.

    According to a statement by the state government, the attackers “targeted a police station, attempted to loot a few grocery shops and a hotel in the community before they were repelled by the security forces and bold members of the community.” The police confirmed the incident, describing it as “a sad development.”

    Some days earlier, on July 31, unidentified gunmen had carried out an operation in the Ganmu community, resulting in kidnaps and killings. The police said the “unfortunate criminal incident” had resulted in “the death of two victims and the kidnap of three others.”

    The state government reassured the public that concerted efforts were being made, in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser, to rid the area of criminals. The police said they had “restored order, and initiated a full-scale manhunt for the perpetrators.”

    The script is familiar. Following such incidents, it is routine to reassure the public that security personnel are working to arrest the assailants. However, most times, the matter ends there and nothing is heard again about the pursuit of justice. 

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    The authorities must go beyond words and take effective actions, not only to ensure that such assailants are arrested and prosecuted but also to make the delivery of justice demonstrably transparent.

    It is noteworthy that the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, at a joint security press briefing in Abuja, on August 4, gave an account of 326 police operations carried out in the previous month, saying, “2,901 arrests were made, 175 kidnap victims were rescued, 78 terrorists were neutralised, and six arms trafficking rings were dismantled.”

    These glossy statistics were intended to reassure Nigerians that the Federal Government was not only dealing with the country’s insecurity burden but was also winning the fight.  However, many Nigerians still face constant threats from various forms of violence, including banditry, kidnappings, and terrorism.

    The NOA boss also said the Federal Government “has escalated security operations nationwide, merging tactical enforcements with intelligence-led interventions,” adding, “Banditry, insurgency, trafficking, and other crimes are being tackled through seamless interagency cooperation, resulting in major arrests, rescues, and asset seizures.”

    Indeed, the gravity of the country’s security crisis demands the intensification of the government’s efforts to counter insecurity. This means deploying more resources, implementing new tactics, and ensuring better coordination among all security agencies.

    The Special Intervention Squad inaugurated by the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, last year, was expected to make a security impact, including apprehending major criminals, dismantling criminal networks, successfully deterring attacks before they happen, increasing public confidence in law enforcement and improving the safety of vulnerable communities.  He said it was created “to confront the most formidable challenges that beset our nation today — challenges like kidnapping, banditry, and other violent crimes that have sown discord and fear across various regions.”

    Egbetokun also said the officers had been trained for “advanced tactical operations, intelligence gathering, crisis negotiation, and community engagement,” among others, and described their work as a “critical national assignment.” There is a strong need to boost the capacity of this squad towards achieving its purpose, and empower the police generally to fight insecurity.

    Ultimately, the Kwara attacks underscore the need for intelligence and prevention, rapid response, and law enforcement in the fight against insecurity. Even more critically, the authorities should urgently address the underlying social and economic factors that fuel crime, such as poverty, unemployment, and a lack of education.

  • Nigerian River yields compounds with drug potential

    Nigerian River yields compounds with drug potential

    …Study highlights country’s untapped role in global drug discovery

    Scientists have discovered chemical compounds with potential biomedical value in a river in Kwara State, underscoring Nigeria’s growing importance in global drug discovery efforts.

    The breakthrough, published in Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry, details how researchers isolated unknown bioactive molecules, named pseudomonins D–G, from Pseudomonas sp. UIAU-6B, a bacterium found in sediment from Oyun River in Ilorin.

    The study showed that micro-organisms in Nigeria’s river systems could hold the key to developing new drugs against deadly diseases.

    The research was conducted by a team from University of Aberdeen and University of St Andrews in Scotland, with Nigerian scientists from University of Ilorin and Federal University of Lafia.

    Dr. Emmanuel Oluwabusola, a Chemistry graduate from the University of Ilorin and now a senior research fellow in the Marine Biodiscovery Centre in Aberdeen, said the discovery shows how local ecosystems can contribute to solving global health challenges.

    “Extreme or stressed environments often drive micro-organisms to produce distinctive metabolites,” he said. “By studying organisms that adapt to harsh local conditions, we uncover compounds that may hold biomedical potential.”

    According to the researchers, the compounds were analysed at Marine Biodiscovery Centre, University of Aberdeen, using advanced laboratory tools.

    Some molecules showed modest antiparasitic activity against Leishmania major and Trypanosoma brucei, parasites responsible for leishmaniasis and African sleeping sickness, two neglected tropical diseases. Others showed chemical structures that could inspire future drug development.

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    The study builds on earlier work published in 2021 on the same bacterial strain, which identified new antimicrobial compounds. Together, the findings underscore the pharmaceutical promise hidden in Nigeria’s underexplored natural habitats.

    Dr Adedotun Adefolalu, now a researcher at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, USA, said the discovery proves Nigeria’s ecosystems are fertile ground for scientific breakthroughs.

    “Our rivers and soils may appear ordinary, but they host microbial communities with extraordinary biochemical capabilities,” he said. “With adequate support, Nigeria could contribute significantly to global drug discovery.”

    The project was coordinated by Prof. Marcel Jaspars, Director of the Marine Biodiscovery Centre, and partly funded by Nigeria’s Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). It highlights how international collaboration can turn local biodiversity into tools for global health improvement.

    Experts say the findings should spur more government and private-sector investment in bioprospecting and environmental microbiology, fields that could make Nigeria a key player in the global fight against antibiotic resistance and parasitic diseases.

    As the world races to find new treatments, scientists say the answers may lie beneath Nigeria’s rivers, quiet, overlooked ecosystems now proving to be hidden pharmacies waiting to be explored.

  • AbdulRazaq’s wife  leads delegation to global summit

    AbdulRazaq’s wife  leads delegation to global summit

    Nigeria’s voice rang loud and clear at the First Ladies of Africa Impact and Resilience (FLAIR) 2025 Summit, as the wife of Kwara State governor, Prof. Olufolake AbdulRazaq, who is also the chairperson of Nigerian Governors’ Wives Forum, led a delegation of Nigerian governors’ wives to a groundbreaking gathering held at the House of Lords and House of Commons, UK Parliament.

    According to a statement by Dr. Yvonne Thompson, founder of Wintrade Global Women in Business Network Ltd (organisers of the event), the summit brought together African First Ladies, policymakers, investors and leaders in business and civil society to explore innovative strategies for strengthening women’s leadership, resilience and socio-political impact across the continent.

    “This is our time,” declared Mrs. AbdulRazaq during her keynote address at the House of Lords. “Nigerian women are no longer asking for space—we are creating it. We have proven our leadership capacity. Now, we are calling for institutional framework to support inclusion, especially in governance.”

    During the summit, the Nigerian delegation advocated bold constitutional reforms to ensure greater political representation for women, including the creation of additional Senate and House of Representatives seats reserved for women. This move, if adopted, will mark a historic shift in Nigeria’s democratic structure—ensuring that no senatorial district lacks female representation.

    The Nigerian delegation includes Tamunominini Makinde (Oyo); Dr. Falmata Babagana Umara Zulum (Borno); Hajiya Hafsat Buni Kolere (Yobe); Hajiya Lami Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa) and Hajia Zulaihat Dikko Radda (Katsina).

    They were joined by Her Majesty, Olori Atuwatse III of Warri, whose passionate advocacy against gender bias and cultural discrimination struck a powerful chord with global delegates. Her moving story of overcoming gender-based expectations served as a rallying cry for African women to embrace their leadership potential.

    Throughout the three-day event, Nigerian leaders participated in high-level roundtables on: Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG); Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI); Sustainable Development Goals; and Gender-based Violence and Healthcare Policy.

    The summit was further enriched by the contributions of Nigerian-born UK Chartered Accountant and Legal Executive, Paschal  Opara, a consultant to Wintrade Global and Principal of Icon Accountants.

    In a heartfelt address at the House of Lords, Opara reflected on his life experience and declared his support for women-led leadership.

    “I was raised by a woman who single-handedly educated six children. Today, I am a father to five daughters and I know the power of women’s leadership. It’s time for men to step aside and let women lead.”

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    At the Gala Awards Dinner, Nigeria was once again in the spotlight as Ambassador AbdulRazaq and her team received a prestigious award for their work fighting gender-based violence, in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. She was honoured for her exceptional contributions to women’s leadership across Africa.

    Delegates from Kenya, Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone added depth to the summit’s pan-African spirit. A video message from Dr. Fatima Bio, First Lady of Sierra Leone and President of the African Union First Ladies, called on African women to stand united against cultural norms that diminish their worth.

    Kenya’s delegates drew attention to critical issues in education and marriage law, while Zimbabwe’s participation faced political protests—highlighting the complex realities African women navigate daily.

    As the summit concluded, delegates renewed their commitment to cross-border collaboration, institutional reform and the empowerment of women across all levels of society. Zimbabwe offered to host the next edition of the FLAIR Summit, a gesture of unity and resolve.

    The summit is an annual gathering designed to celebrate and advance the work of African women in leadership, foster high-level partnerships, and develop policy-driven solutions to socio-economic and gender challenges across the continent.

  • Governorship: Why Kwara must embrace rotation

    Governorship: Why Kwara must embrace rotation

    • By Yekini Abdulazeez

    By 2027, Kwara State will mark 28 years of uninterrupted democratic rule since the return to civil government in 1999. In that time, the state has grown in population, political awareness, and development ambition. Yet, despite these strides, one truth remains stubbornly unresolved: Kwara North, the state’s largest geopolitical zone by landmass and a key contributor to its economy, has never produced a democratically elected governor.

    This exclusion is not only a stain on the state’s democratic fabric, but a growing threat to long-term unity and equitable development.

    As the next election cycle approaches, this unfinished business must move to the centre of political discourse. Not just for moral clarity, but for strategic planning, security stability, and economic equity.

    Kwara State, created in 1967, is divided into three senatorial zones: North, Central, and South.

    Since the start of the Fourth Republic in 1999, the governorship has rotated between Kwara Central and Kwara South.

    The late Mohammed Alabi Lawal (1999–2003) hailed politically from Kwara Central, as did his successors, Bukola Saraki (2003–2011). AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the current governor, also hails from the central region of Kwara.

    Kwara South, through Senator Cornelius Adebayo (military handover era) and AbdulFatai Ahmed, has had a share. Kwara North, comprising five local government areas, Baruten, Edu, Patigi, Kaiama, and Moro, has had no elected governor. Its closest claim was Lawal, whose maternal roots were from Baruten but who identified politically with Ilorin.

    This imbalance has fuelled long-standing grievances, with many in Kwara North feeling politically short-changed.

     While zoning is not enshrined in Nigeria’s constitution, many states across the federation operate an unwritten rotational agreement to reflect federal character and promote fairness. Benue, Delta, Enugu, and Bauchi states have all implemented informal or formalized zoning arrangements, ensuring power moves across zones and not just within dominant ethnic or political enclaves.

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    Kwara’s silence on zoning has resulted in near-permanent rotation between Central and South, to the exclusion of the North. That silence now requires political courage to correct.

    Beyond political arithmetic, the relevance of Kwara North to the future of the state cannot be overstated. The zone holds immense economic, agricultural, and geopolitical importance.

    Geographically, Kwara North shares a direct international border with the Republic of Benin through Baruten and is adjacent to four Nigerian states: Niger, Kogi, Oyo, and Ekiti. This makes it a potential hub for cross-border trade, agricultural export, and regional security coordination.

    Yet, its border towns remain poorly policed and sparsely serviced, with minimal investment in border infrastructure.

    Economically, the North is the food basket of the state. The region produces much of Kwara’s rice, yam, maize, and cashew. The federal government’s agricultural intervention in Patigi and Edu through dry season farming attests to the area’s enormous potential. Yet, over 65 percent of its agricultural output reportedly goes to waste due to poor storage and processing capacity. Without political prioritization, this economic potential remains stunted.

    Culturally, the region is home to diverse ethnic groups including the Nupe, Bariba, Yoruba, and Fulani communities. These cultures have coexisted for generations, yet feel invisible in the political representation of the state.

    Multiple development indicators show a stark disparity between Kwara North and the rest of the state.

    While Kwara Central, particularly Ilorin, has witnessed sustained investment in roads, tertiary education, and healthcare infrastructure, the North lags. In sectors such as road construction, education, healthcare, and industrial investment, Kwara North has received a disproportionately low share of state funding. In healthcare, General Hospitals in towns like Kaima have suffered decades of underfunding, with many residents relying on poorly staffed clinics or traveling several hours to Ilorin for basic treatment.

    Under Governor Abdulrahaman, though, attention has now been paid to these issues. The north is now having a new face and it is catching up with other regions of the state.

    The importance of Kwara North in Nigeria’s current security context cannot be ignored.

    Baruten and Kaiama local government areas share porous boundaries with communities in Niger State, which have witnessed repeated banditry and kidnapping. In 2023, attacks on farmers in Gwanara took over 48 hours to elicit a meaningful state-level response. The reality is simple: a region this close to crisis zones needs direct representation at the highest level of governance.

    Security coordination, investment in rural policing, and community-based intelligence networks cannot be achieved effectively without a governor who understands the local terrain and prioritizes its stability.

    One of the frequent pushbacks against rotational advocacy is the claim that Kwara North lacks the political infrastructure or maturity to produce a governor. This is not supported by facts. In the 2023 general elections, Kaiama recorded over 52 percent voter turnout, while Patigi posted 49 percent, both higher than figures from parts of Ilorin West and Ilorin East.

    The region accounted for a significant amount of all PVC registrations in the state during the last INEC cycle. Moreover, Kwara North has produced nationally competent individuals, including Senator Sadiq Umar, a UK-trained pharmacist and legislator. Yakubu Danladi Salihu, the current speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly is also from Baruten Local Government Area. A former speaker of the revered house, Yisa Benjamin is also from Patigi Local Government Area.

    There is Jamila Bio Ibrahim, medical doctor, development specialist and politician, who formerly served as Minister of Youth among an array of appointments.

    If other zones have produced governors with lesser credentials, then Kwara North cannot be dismissed on competence grounds.

    Zoning, when implemented with sincerity, does not conflict with merit. Rather, it ensures that every part of a state feels a sense of ownership and participation in governance. It prevents power from being hoarded by one ethnic group or geographical zone. In plural societies like Nigeria, zoning has often stabilized the polity and reduced the risk of marginalization-induced tensions.

    States that ignored these signs have paid for it.

    States that embraced equitable power rotation, such as Cross River and Bauchi, have managed their diversity more effectively.

    The danger of continuing along the current path is not abstract. It shows up in low school attendance in Patigi, high youth migration from Kaiama, and increasing agitations for local autonomy. When a region feels left behind, its young people become vulnerable to manipulation, radicalization, and economic exploitation.

    More urgently, Kwara’s reputation as a politically peaceful state could come under strain if large populations feel they have no stake in the government of the day.

    Rotating the governorship to Kwara North is not just symbolic. It is also a development strategy.  A governor from the North is more likely to prioritize agro-industrial zones, border surveillance, storage facilities for farm produce, and rural roads that connect farm clusters to markets.

    The cry for equity in Kwara politics is not a new one. But now, it carries a fresh urgency.

    The 2027 election presents an opportunity to correct an imbalance that has lasted too long.

    Supporting a candidate from Kwara North is not charity. It is strategic, overdue, and essential for building a stronger, more united state.

    To ignore this moment would be to deny justice once again. And as history has shown, justice delayed too long becomes justice denied.

    •Yekini writes from Ilorin, Kwara State

  • Sorry state of governance in Kwara

    Sorry state of governance in Kwara

    Sir: In a week that should have spoken of progress in Kwara State, what echoed instead were sorrow, grief, and government silence. The ongoing Kwara Hotel renovation project, once presented as a symbol of development, has turned into a site of tragedy. Three workers lost their lives in a single week, including Abdulfatai Adebayo, a young electrician and father of four whose wife is heavily pregnant.

    Yet, as the dust settled over the bodies crushed by a collapsed perimeter fence, all the bereaved family received from the construction company contracted by the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq-led government over capable local companies, was a bag of rice, some cooking oil, and fruits. This is the state of governance in Kwara under a man who once rode on the collective outrage of the O to ge revolution. Today, the very values that powered his ascent have been discarded, and what remains is a government adrift, indifferent to the sufferings of its people.

    The deaths at Kwara Hotel were not an isolated incident. They are part of a broader pattern of state abandonment and elite insensitivity. The construction firm overseeing the renovation was controversially handed a presumably bloated N23.4 billion contract, up from an earlier N17.8 billion, after a local contractor was side-lined. What started as a N5 billion project has now become a symbol of waste, blood, and betrayal.

    Meanwhile, insecurity continues to ravage the northern and southern parts of the state. In the Tashagi community, Edu Local Government Area, bandits struck, killing a cattle rearer and abducting five of his children. In Gbugbu, a businessman and his manager remained in captivity weeks after their abduction. Hon. Ahmed Adamu Saba, a member of the House of Representatives, has publicly appealed to the governor and federal authorities. But the man who occupies the seat of power in Ilorin seemingly remains unbothered.

    Governor AbdulRazaq has abdicated his role as the Chief Security Officer of the state. His silence is not statesmanlike; it is dangerous. When lives are lost; when communities are under siege, leadership demands more than silence; it demands presence, empathy, and action. None of these have been forthcoming.

    Even more troubling is the governor’s open war against traditional institutions and political rivals. The monarchs of Kwara South recently cried out over the governor’s neglect of their domains. Instead of uniting the state, AbdulRazaq has alienated the custodians of tradition and culture. Instead of focusing on governance, he is obsessed with demolishing projects linked to fellow APC members like Senator Saliu Mustapha and Hon. Mashood Mustapha, men who were comrades in the O to ge struggle.

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    Not once, but twice, the governor reportedly denied Senator Saliu Mustapha the opportunity to implement legitimate federal government constituency projects, thereby depriving Kwarans of infrastructural benefits that could have eased their burdens. In another vindictive move, he demolished a multibillion-naira property belonging to Hon. Mashood Mustapha, not for public interest, but for no just cause other than for political reasons. This is not governance; it is petty vengeance weaponised through state power.

    The implications are grave, not only for Kwara State but also for the 2027 re-election strategy of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. AbdulRazaq’s growing unpopularity, his battles with royal fathers, his controversial projects, and his insensitivity to human tragedy have made him a liability. He no longer represents the hope of 2019; he represents the disappointment of 2025. Aligning the president’s campaign with AbdulRazaq’s battered credibility in Kwara will not strengthen the APC; it will weaken it.

    The people of Kwara are watching. The O to ge movement they once championed has been betrayed. The presidency only needs to listen to the voices rising from Ilorin to Patigi, from Gbugbu to Offa. These voices are not just mourning the dead. They are mourning the lost promise of a government that promised change but delivered calamity.

    Kwara deserves better. Nigeria deserves better. And President Tinubu deserves a stronger footing than what Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq currently offers.

    •Wahab Oba, Ilorin Kwara State.

  • Father laments discrimination against daughter with special needs at Ilorin mall

    Father laments discrimination against daughter with special needs at Ilorin mall

    A Nigerian father has taken to TikTok to voice his frustration after allegedly being denied entry into Emirate Mall in Ilorin, Kwara State, because of his daughter’s special needs.

    The incident reportedly occurred during the Eid holiday as the man, dressed in white native attire, and his daughter, wearing a pink outfit, attempted to enter the mall’s supermarket. 

    According to him, security personnel blocked their access at the entrance.

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    In a now-viral TikTok video posted on Tuesday, the father was seen holding his daughter and addressing the camera, saying, “Let’s go. This is a supermarket. She’s also a child like other children here. Those guys are not crying. Those children are not crying. They welcomed her. Now the staff are walking us out because of my baby. No problem. Let’s go, family.”

    Following public attention, the father later shared an update via his handle @folorunshobodmas, revealing that the Chief Security Officer of the mall eventually allowed them in.

    He said, “Here is Ilorin, Emirate Mall. I’m very disappointed. I took my baby down here for shopping. We were so sad that the security officer sent us out because of my baby. But thank God for the CSO of the Emirate Mall who later intervened and took us back in. We are all human being, no child should be condemned.”