ONE YEAR AFTER DEMOLITION, ILE-ARUGBO STILL STANDS By Kwara Devoted Minds

Yesterday January 2, 2021, makes it exactly one-year Ile-Arugbo was demolished by the Abdulrahman Abdurazaq led administration in the State. Seeing the intellectual gymnastic some people and certain individuals embarked on to spin narratives and blackmail the people of the state into misconstruing the good intention under which Ile-Arugbo was built. This notorious and greatest case of a disservice to ones conscience is not the first to be seen in the world.

One day in May 1830, a man named Joseph Plamer who had always been mocked for wearing a beard and likened to the devil for doing so was attacked by men with scissors in an attempt to cut off his beards, he fought them off. On many occasions, he had told them that Jesus wore a beard like his, they were mistaken in their comparison of personages. He was eventually arrested by authorities and charged for unprovoked assault despite the glaring evidence of being attacked, he went to jail where the assault continued, he was starved and maltreated only to leave jail and start advocating for prison reform. Shortly, after his experience, the wearing of beards became fashionable, even though Palmer was emulating Jesus, fashion led to the general acceptability of wearing beards in his village. 

The above scenario also prevailed in Kwara State, where Ile-Arugbo was bitterly condemned, only to follow by the scam of institutionalized Owo-Arugbo by the same government, while one was funded by an individual with good intention, the other was borne out of fashion just like Palmers village were wearing of beards was later embraced and flaunted, just for fashion. It is the same scenario in Kwara State where the pen is being effortlessly used to package and justify the demolition of the same building. Righteousness is not what a man thinks is right, but the sincerity behind what you feel is appropriate.

However, one should be happy that the lesson was picked, that there is a need to cater for the aged in our society, either by government or individual, it must be collectively done that is why Saraki remains undisturbed on the demolition and continued to support the aged. A pragmatic realist is different from a romantic believer. The Sarakis are pragmatic realists while AA is merely a romantic believer.

We are in an era where genius propagandists can run a government on propaganda, it is an experiment that has been tested and now in its final stage in Kwara State. The low standard Achebe(s) that are going novel on Owo-Arugbo should soften their pedal. The demolition must be a nightmare disturbing the administration of AA like a mad Chinese King who killed his brother to ascend the throne, only to start seeing him in his sleep. This going for glory rather than public interest is enough clarity that the demolition was done out of envy, jealousy, pettiness, and vengeance. The desperation to exonerate AA in the peoples court is glaring, an action you have to convince yourself and the people over and over again means it was not made out of confidence but insecurity. 

In the popular animation movie titled Lion King, even though Scar out of envy displaced Mufasa, armed himself to teeth with hyenas, he lived in constant suspicion of himself and never had acceptability among the lions, he followed this approach of blackmail, propaganda and until the very end, convinced himself that his decision was right. However, wherever a true King sits is a throne, without the physical building, the old women still receive constant monetary and food items in large numbers from the Sarakis. Even on this day, the social welfare is still on going. 

It's only in Kwara the evils produced from doubts and criticisms are spread to the citizens. The idea of caring for old women was stupid-fied until nearly everyone in the state is keying into the idea. The symbol of slavery attached to Ile-Arugbo shows the bitterness of this administration. Owo-Arugbo was just an effort to shield himself from the criticisms that come with the demolition.

Inevitable politics must not always come before the truth, the legality or otherwise of the demolition of the Ile-Arugbo is yet to be decided in the court. It is hypocrisy to publicly acknowledge that Baba Saraki is a good man but that because his Ile-Arugbo is helping his politics, the idea must be criminalized, demonized and destroyed. Attaching symbol of slavery to other people's mother is the highest height of littleness.

 

Remember those who the gods want to destroy, they first make mad....!!!

Written by a group of young men in the state known as Kwara Devoted Minds

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