When you see this headline, you would mistake it as a PR for Dr. Oloriegbe. You would think it’s a push for him to contest for election.
No, that’s not it.
This is, rather, an advisory call for Senator Ibrahim Yahaya Oloriegbe, a man in whom I am well pleased, to be wary of a deceptive man who loves pretending.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq political trajectory is marred with a notorious reputation for betrayal; his alliances are temporary, serving his interests until their expiration.
This modus operandi came to the fore in his dealings with Dr. Oloriegbe, whom he betrayed in favor of Mallam Saliu Mustapha in 2023, believing Mustapha to be a more appealing and electorally viable option to win the last elections which he eventually achieved.
However, in a dramatic reversal, Governor AbdulRahman, after alleged several intercession of the Governor’s elder brother, Dr. Alimi, whom he always using to settle several scores in preying on his next target(s), and cousin, Dr. Yusuf Lawal, has now positioned Dr. Oloriegbe as Amirul-Hajj, a role of considerable prestige and communal responsibility.
On the surface, this might appear as a gesture of reconciliation, an olive branch extended after a storm of discord. But the undercurrents suggest a more complex motive. This appointment comes amid AbdulRahman’s deteriorating relations with Mustapha, hinting at a possible use of Dr. Oloriegbe as a pawn in a larger game of political chess to be dumped after he might have achieved his deceptive plans, again.
In other words, this Dr. Oloriegbe’s appointment as Amirul-Hajj, while seemingly honorable on the surface, might well be a golden handcuff, crafted to serve the Governor’s ends. It seems to be a tactical ploy, perhaps to counterbalance his falling out with Sen. Mustapha, thereby using Dr. Oloriegbe once again as a chess piece in a broader political game.
I’ve been long enough around politicians to know that in the deceptive calm of political favor, the wise are vigilant and guarded, knowing well that calm waters are often deepest.
So, my advice for Dr. Oloriegbe is clear and urgent: proceed with caution.
The political landscape he navigates is riddled with traps and treacheries. To accept Governor AbdulRahman’s gestures without critical analysis would be to ignore the lessons of recent history.
Dr. Oloriegbe must weigh the benefits against the potential costs of political re-aligning with a figure like Governor AbdulRahman.
If Dr. Oloriegbe is to navigate these turbulent waters successfully, he must do so with eyes widely open and always be aware of the tides that shift around him. In politics, as in life, it is often the unseen currents that are the most treacherous.
So, for Dr. Oloriegbe, the choice is clear: eschew complacency, anticipate the unseen, and perhaps most importantly, be prepared to run, run for your life!
Ayuba Musbau Kawu, Arc, observes from Ilorin, Kwara State
