Bukola Saraki, the former senate president, has to be the vainest Kwaran alive. He loves attention and basks in vainglory, it is so that, he has remained the same for almost 60 years of existence. The last three of these have been spent stripped of power and authority chiefly due to insensitivity and arrogance which stinks to high heaven. Instead of introspection, it’d appear such a golden moment is being missed.

This is what was on display earlier today when Saraki joined thousands of the faithful in prayers at the Ilorin Central mosque. It was to be a happy day. The sun shone bright and lovely and joy was etched on the faces of the worshippers as they filed into the mosque to take seats for the prayers. It would be expected that after the congregation people would march out in pure love and ecstasy to cheer the emir and a long list of chieftains and dignitaries who were on ground for the good day. HRH Emir of Ilorin, Ameer Musulumi, was marking the 27th anniversary on the throne of his forebears on such a delightful Friday.

The dignitaries who were in the mosque included Senator Bukola Saraki, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Chief of Staff to the President Prof Ibrahim Gambari, and country representative of the United Nations Mr Mohammed Yahya, among others across sociopolitical lines from within and outside the state.

The Jumuah service was supposed to be a simple act of worship. A place where people of all class meets without airs. But Saraki had other ideas. It had to be a moment for showboating, another page of pain, and a chapter in his book of macabre leadership.

It began with a long motorcade with the full blare of sirens on the premises. Yes, on the premises! Siren at this time and age. Sirens for nothing sake! He rode that out to the heart of the market, mindless of the peace of other worshippers in the mosque, or those who had to head out home. Then, he just eventually stopped abruptly in the middle of the road, middle of the road in the heart of Oja oba, took his long body out of the car to bask fully in the euphoric moment of cheers from some of his followers. Saraki would take more than 30 mins on this, out of a desire to get validation from a few hungry followers, and some absent-minded market women. It was insensitivity at its height.

I’d not have been bothered, however, if the safety of others was not at stake. While Saraki was at his show, and some other road users were getting impatient, the security team attached to the convoy swung into action and began to beat poor, defenceless children and women out of his way. It was a last-minute move to avoid criticism of the show of insensitivity. Yet, it is such that birthed this one. I whimpered at how children and women were scampering to safety in the dense space. Yet, he’d rather not wait or care. As soon as they could make some space, they zoomed off in full blare of siren without regards for those affected or delayed. He was the one who staged a show yet he had to literally make other fall victims to look good again. Why does Saraki care less for the safety, peace, and dignity of others? Why does this have to happen all the time?

No humble, sensitive, understanding leader has ever done so and would ever do so in the emirate. They’d see and understand that Jumuah, especially today, a remarkable day for the emir, was not the place to claim phantom love.

Our city and society has outlived this kind of politics. Politics of ostentation, pretention, and abnegation of faith and values.

It is the kind that degrades, denigrates, and widens the gap between the people and the leaders.

This year, Saraki is not contesting for anything. Yet, this year, again, he chose the biggest of day and moments to ridicule the emir, the city, and the people for a momentary period of fame. He’d remain stuck to the hubris of rank and status out of powers like he was until rejected. No matter how many years it takes, whether through a surrogate or not, this man’s understanding of faith, culture, and class will never change. He sees ordinary people as people to be used, exploited, and serfs and we will not forget.

Abdus’samad Attahiru writes from Gambari, Ilorin East LGA