Ahmed Mubarak Ago
Dr Ahmed Fatai Maigida was the scapegoat for all the Sarakites’ woes. He became a pawn, sadly, in the hands of the dooms-bound hordes, thereby diverting their attention away from the abject failures of the real feudal lord. The man behind the smokescreen, veiled by Fatai’s unavoidable, manipulated persona.
Maigida was supposed to be the man of his house, but he failed to merit his moniker, apologies to the Hausas. He was not man enough. It made more sense, after all, that he was a beneficiary of a “grace and favour office” who was made to sit atop the pyramid of power, which, in essence, has no connection with his political or leadership charisma. It is the emblem of Saraki’s hegemony. Everyone has access to positions of power, so far as their back is flat enough for horses to ride. They have been indoctrinated to accept the rulings of their feudal lord and never to challenge his rules.
Ahmed Fatai Maigida was a victim of push-and-pull leadership. Perhaps he was brilliant, or at least would have been, if he hadn’t run a two-in-one government. Maybe he would have had some major tapestry of successes to his name. Maybe he would have been regarded as the alpha and omega of the KWIR creation, the sole initiator of KWASU satellite campuses, inventor of IVTEC, among a few other achievements to himself, and have his name imprinted in the minds of Kwarans without his overlord stealing the show. Saraki, instead, is the one sitting in the limelight of praise and celebration for all his achievements. Fatai was buried in oblivion, and his name was easily eradicated from the history of Kwara State. Perhaps it’s contained in the terms and conditions for his selection for the zenith seat.
After Governor AbdulRahman has magnanimously completed the iconic KWASU satellite campuses project, initiated during Maigida’s tenure, his name will further drift into the abyss. It is disheartening that the PDP itself is leading the calvary as his name was omitted from their song of appraisal, and instead, the PDP-Kwara decided to direct their accolades at Saraki, hoping it will spite the Governor. That’s not the most disheartening tidings; Saraki did not get to share in the unpleasantness of Maigida’s administration. He is also the only one facing the court for his incessant arraignments and rearrangements for mismanagement of public funds, with his name gracing the news media pages. The Shody 3.7 billion Geri-Alimi underpass is only attributed to Fatai Maigida, while the post office overhead bridge is only meant for Saraki’s good name. Five billion naira announced for water reticulation went under the drain with nothing to show for it, and many others. In the long run, Fatai’s name was only meant to bear the brunt of the mishap. It’s all man for himself in the aspect of blots and ignominy.
This is not to condemn godfatherism outrightly; we have seen such in Lagos State. Fashola was a product of Tinubu’s hegemony, but he never fought and dragged the limelight with him. ‘Eko-Fashola’, the inevitable Fashola’s heritage in Lagos State, will never be eradicated in the minds of Lagos citizens. The story is not the same with Fatai Maigida; he was an unfortunate victim of Saraki’s overambitiousness. He was never allowed to write his own story; it was dictated, and eventually erased after the show.
There’s no room for any man who has a vortex of violence in him, enough to stand up against imperialism in PDP-Kwara. Gbenga Makanjuola found an exit door; he had two options: to throw a show of service on his master or be of service to the Kwarans. He made the right choice. The rest became history. The Yoruba say, “Ore ti afi na iya’nle, ounbe lori aja fun iyawo,” meaning the cane used on the old wife is in store, waiting to be used on the new consort’s derrière. Fatai fell victim to what he didn’t see coming, but definitely, everyone else has seen to a very large extent to which he was scapegoated; he’s an example and lesson to the impending victims.
Since the inception of democracy in Kwara State, we have only had three governors: Mohammed Lawal, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. It was as if Ahmed Fatai was never there; his achievements are glued to Saraki’s, with his name swept under the carpet. No man in his right sense, after serving his motherland, would want to disappear into thin air that easily. But the few members left in PDP-Kwara have the ball in their court, however they make their bed, they surely will sleep on it. Hope these new boys will sniff the room.
