By Nimi Princewill.
In a subtle but persistent attempt to purge the state of his predecessor’s footprints, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, has yet again wiped the shine off what’s left of the modest legacies of the previous administration.
The governor, through his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye on Friday, ordered immediate reversal to the use of the national coat of arms in the state, putting an end to the customized state emblem adopted by the immediate past government in 2012.
Governor Abdulrazaq’s unexplained decision to jettison the state emblem, which many argue adequately represents Kwara’s geography and strength in commercial agriculture, is perceived to be borne out of political vendetta by a cross section of political observers in the state; many of whom will not shy away from classifying the governor’s directive as tyrannical, having failed to seek extensive public consultations or legislative approval before ordering the reversal.
Other opinions on the new development, query the administrative inconveniences the change in emblem might prompt, which ranges from reprinting of documents, signage etc, as well as allocation of bloated contracts in a ‘tactical bid to siphon scarce resources’, knowing governance in Nigeria for what it’s worth.
Remarkably, a fairly large amount of Kwarans do not exactly care about what emblem represents the state, as its economic irrelevance to the common man cannot be overemphasized.