Kwara govt demolishes library erected in honour of Olusola Saraki

Bukola Saraki

The transition implementation committee (TIC) of Ilorin West Local Government on Tuesday demolished a library erected in honour of the late Senator Olusola Saraki, father of former Senate President Bukola Saraki.

The government claimed it was being used as hideout by criminals.

The ex-Senate president and his sister Gbemisola Saraki, who is the minister of state for transportation, kicked against the demolition.

“Just got the news that the major official assignment carried out by the governor of my state, Kwara, today, is the demolition of an old public library named after my late dad, Dr. Olusola Saraki. May Almighty Allah continue to retain a place for Oloye in Aljannah Firdaus,” Mr Saraki wrote in a Facebook post.

His sister wrote also on Facebook, “Yet again, today we find that the Governor of Kwara State’s focus is not on building up Kwara, but on demolishing buildings which were owned or named after my late father, the Waziri of Ilorin.

 “No matter how many structures are demolished, Baba Saraki’s legacy can never be destroyed, because it lives in the hearts and minds of the great people of Kwara. May Allah continue to guide and protect us all. Aamin.”

Gbemisola is in the same party as the governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq while Saraki is a member of the opposition.

The Saraki family and the Abdulrazaq administration have not been in good terms since inception of the administration.

Last year, Abdulrazaq ordered the demolition of ‘Ile Arugbo’ — a building constructed by the late Saraki for the welfare of aged people in Ilorin. According to the state, the building was illegally given to Saraki.

The Ilorin West Local Government has however promised to rebuild the library and upgrade it to an ICT centre. The building will also retain the name of Saraki.