kwara At 53 : Kwara Political Legend - Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki
Dr Olusola Abubakar Saraki was a Nigerian politician from the Agoro compound in Agbaji, Ilorin,Kwara State.
He was born on 17.May,1933 and died on 14,Nov 2012 at 79 years old in Lagos State.
He can be described as the modern architect of Kwara politics, as most, if not all powerful leaders from kwara state once passed through the great Saraki dynasty.
He was a Senator of the Nigerian second Republic (1979-198) and a holder of the chieftaincy tittle “waziri of Ilorin”.
In his days Dr. Olusola Abubakar Saraki was a great philanthropist (non as equal to yet)and political leader who as been described by many in different ways –
“waziri Ilorin,Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki who died in Lagos early yesterday at age 79,was the last genuine and honourable god father in Nigerian politics”- allafrica.com
He was foundly referred to as ‘Oloye’ (leader).
“He lived long enough to see many copycat ‘godfathers’ who brought that appellation to small ruin,that it is today and insult in Nigeria politics to be called ‘godfather’”
“No one in Nigeria was able to beat his feat in politics,he carry kwara from one party to the other into political victories and power”
“He was reckoned with nationally as he became a chieftain of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) into the second republic”
“Despite the strong challenge from Chief Awolowo’s UPN, Saraki established such a firm grip on kwara state that was envied by politicians naturally.”
The National Party of Nigeria (NPN) captured the governorship and three of the state’s senators, Saraki being one in the second republic,each of the 19 states had,had 5 senators.
According to Samuel Azikwe of Vanguard Analysis in a write up tittled :-
The Ultimate Kingmaker – Oloye
“Dr. Saraki was simply a political phenomenon, his political odyssey was however not spotless”
“long before the phenomenon of godfather politics came into national consciousness and controversy, Dr. Olusola Saraki had turned the phenomenon into a successful past time in his native kwara state”
Olusola Saraki got his early education at Eko boys high school,he proceeded to The University of London, and St George’s Hospital Medical School,London
He worked as a medical officer at the General hospital,Lagos and the Creek hospital,Lagos.
Olusola first entry into politics was in 1964 where he ran in the parliamentary election for Ilorin independently but failed.
He returned to medicine after the election before returning to active party politics in 1978/79
Olusola died on Wednesday after a short battle with Cancer in Lagos on the 14th,Nov 2012
In 1977,Olusola Saraki was elected as a member of the Constituent Assembly that produced the 1979 constitution.
In 1979 he was elected a senator of the Second Republic ,and became Senate leader.
In 1983 Saraki was re-elected into the Senate in the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
1998,Olusola Saraki became a National leader and member of the board of Trustees of the All People’s Party (APP),contributing immensely to the APP success in Kwara and Kogi State.
In 2001, he was head of a team from the Arewa Consultative Forum,a Northern Cultural and political group,sent to meet and discus common goals with Northern state governors and other leaders,later Saraki switched allegiance to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
And in the 2003 election ‘oloye’ supported his son, Bukola Saraki as candidate for the governor of Kwara State in April 2003 and his beloved daughter Gbemisola Ruqayat Saraki as Senator representing Kwara central.
Dr. Sola Abubakar Saraki’s son, Abubakar Bukola Saraki became the Senate President of eight senate of Nigeria,a tenure that lasted from 9th,june till 2019.
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