The Ilorin West Local Government Areas has promised that the demolished library named after Senator Olusola Saraki will retain the honorary name after the rehabilitation, just like other public facilities named after eminent Kwarans late or alive.
According to a statement signed by the LG TIC chairman, Mukhtar AbdulGafar Omotosho, “government recognises the need to give honour to whom it is due. The facility will retain the honorary name after the rehabilitation, just like we have other public facilities named after eminent Kwarans, late or alive.
“We do not see any need for anyone to play cheap politics with the action of the local government over its own property.
“Our attention has been drawn to what seems like a deliberate misinformation by some idle hands on the planned renovation of one of our properties at Ilorin West Local Government named after the late Olusola Saraki.
“The said dilapidated and vandalized property belongs to the people of Ilorin West. In other words, it is a public library constructed with public funds but named after the late politician. Community representatives led by Mallam Abdulganiyu Salihu Onifila cried out to the council to come to their aids by making use of the place for betterment of the community and local government at large.
“This property, long in disuse, had been in a state of horrible disrepair over the years and was serving as a haven for criminal elements, thereby posing threats to public safety.
“Since our coming on board, we have received several public appeals to do something about the dilapidated structure to give it a face-lift and put it to good public use.
“It is against this background that we have saved up to rehabilitate the facility by making it an ICT Centre/e-Library for public use, especially in this age of information communication technology.
“To begin this work, the old structure needed to give way, hence the demolition and packing of same that began last week.
“We wish to emphasise that this is a public facility owned by the Ilorin West Local Government. Naming it after the late politician was simply honorary”, the statement said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Bukola Saraki had reacted to the demolition, saying that: “I’m quite shocked that the major official assignment carried out by the Governor of my home state, Kwara, today, is the demolition of an old public library named after my late dad, Dr. Olusola Saraki”.