Kwara ‘27: A Call to Serve People and State

Aliyu Olawale writes on the current steps being taken by concerned stakeholders in Kwara State to drag an unassuming administrator, Suleiman BolakaleKawu, into the murky political water of the state ahead of the 2027 gubernatorial poll.

n every generation, a moment arises when history calls not for a mere politician but for a statesman, one whose ambition is not for self but for society. That moment is now, and that leader is Engineer Suleiman BolakaleKawu, the Dan Iya of Ilorin Emirate and HaskenLafiagi Emirate, his life is a testament to silent service, not loud slogans. Though he never lobbied for power, his consistent compassion, humility, and community-driven impact have compelled the people to call upon him, not for himself, but for the soul of Kwara State.

This call is greater than any individual or party. It is not about Kawu. It is not about PDP. It is about Kwara. Our state has become a shadow of its promise, burdened by a leadership that thrives on division, vengeance, and vanishing goodwill.

Governor AbdulRahmanAbdulRazaq, who rode on the collective sacrifice of the Otoge struggle, has betrayed the very spirit that enthroned him. He has insulted traditional institutions, shunned party stalwarts, and despised transparency and accountability, allegedly resuscitating his dying business empire at the expense of public welfare.

He has cast aside pillars like Senator Saliu Mustapha, Hon. Mashood Mustapha, Lukman Mustapha, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Shuaib Yaman, Saeed Popoola, and Abdulrahman Bolarinwa—individuals who bore the burden of revolution while he now bears only the badge of betrayal.

What we face is not a party crisis but a systemic rot that demands urgent repair. And that repair must begin with unity, across party lines, across faiths, and across communities. Kwara needs a healer, not another emperor. A builder, not a breaker. That man is Kawu.

They say, “A man who plants a tree with care will one day rest under its shade.” Kawu has planted trees of hope across the land, transformers, solar lights, water projects, scholarships, and empowerment programs. He did all these not from a position of power but from a place of purpose. His compassion does not discriminate. It touches PDP, APC, SDP, and LP because he sees humans, not labels.

In today’s political reality, elections are not won by pedigree or patronage but by presence. The people followed Donald Trump and Muhammadu Buhari not because of elite endorsements but because they mirrored popular emotions. So, too, does Kawu resonate with the people, not in theory, but in tangible deeds.

Kawu did not wait for the office to serve; he served when it was unpopular to do so. His philanthropy has no banners, no microphones, just results. This is why his name is not being pushed by powerbrokers but being whispered from markets to mosques, from palaces to polling units.

And let us be clear: Kawu is not seeking power to eat; he is being asked to serve to rescue. He is not owned by godfathers, untainted by political debts, and moved by nothing but his conscience and his faith. Like the cow without a tail that relies on God to drive away flies, he has leaned only on honesty and integrity to protect his name.

Great leaders in history did not emerge from comfort, they emerged from crisis. Nelson Mandela was called out of prison to unite a broken South Africa. Churchill was called from political obscurity to save Britain from collapse. In Nigeria, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was called upon and he answered with humility and vision. And long before them, Prophet Yusuf (AS) responded to Pharaoh’s call to manage the famine not for personal gain but for the preservation of society. Likewise, Kawu must rise not to chase titles but to fulfill destiny.

We have erred in the past by mistaking noise for popularity and structure for strength. “If a child stumbles twice, he learns to walk carefully.” Let us now walk wisely. Let us unite across all divides, APC, PDP, undecided and disenchanted, and rally around one man whose life already mirrors the future we desire.

Our people are tired of being used and dumped. They are tired of broken promises and abandoned dreams. They want a leader who listens, not one who lectures. Who builds, not one who bulldozes. Kawu is that man. Let us assure him: those he fed will now feed his mission. Those he sheltered will now stand in his defense. Those he built will now build with him.

“When the drumbeat changes, the dance must change.” The rhythm in Kwara has changed. The harmony of the people is rising against the solo of power. The time has come. Kawu must rise, not for power’s sake, but for the people’s sake. Not for party triumph, but for Kwara’s rebirth.

Let us put aside our political cloaks and pick up the banner of unity. This is not the time to ask what party you are in? It is time to ask what future you want for Kwara? This is a call, not of flattery but of necessity. And in answering it, we may just write the chapter of redemption our state has long waited for.

-Olawale writes from Offa, Kwara State.