Bukola, Gbemi Saraki kick against demolition of library named after their father

Former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and his sister, Gbemi Saraki, who is Minister of State for Transportation, have kicked against the demolition of an Ilorin library named after their late father.

Named after the late Senate leader, Olusola Saraki, the library sited along Kuntu in the Agbo-Oba area of Ilorin was reportedly destroyed by the Ilorin West Local Government Area, the custodian of the public property.

The former Senate President, said “I 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.”

Gbemisola also in a tweet stated, “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.”

The demolition of the library is coming one year after the Ile Arugbo GRA residence of late Saraki was destroyed by the Kwara State Government.

But Daily Trust reported the Transition Implementation Committee Chairman of Ilorin West, Tosho Abdulgafar, as saying the demolition of the library was approved by the council.

He quoted Tosho as saying in a telephone interview that the action was premised on the complaints of the community that the building has become a hideout for criminal elements.

He said, “The place has been vandalised and it was the community that approached the local government ever before our assumption of office to help repair the facility not to serve as hideout for hoodlums.

“After our discussion with the community, we agreed to turn it to an IT centre. So after the ongoing demolition, the construction will commence immediately for an IT centre to make the place useful for the residents.”

But Tosho could not confirm if the place would retain the Saraki name in honour of the late Turaki of Ilorin.

He said, “Late Saraki is someone we have all benefited from and I don’t think it is bad to name if after him. But if the public wants another thing, it is strictly their choice.” Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development, Aliyu Saifudeen, told Daily Trust that there was a lot of misinformation on the demolition.

He said, “The property belongs to Ilorin West and it was only named after Saraki. They only want to reconstruct it. It will still be named after him.”