(Opinion) Muktar Shagaya as Candidate has done more than elected: Hon. Gadaff
~Fellow youths, we can trust him as he’s one of us.
When the window of electioneering campaign activities opened, a chocolate-skinned young man with a dark, clean-shaven moustache, eyes dazzling with a soul-calming smile, and energetic personality passed through the small open space amid the large grounds who had rushed to have a full glimpse of their young star. Some had called him the rain of harvest while some called him the special one. Some called him the visioner as some said he is the son of the soil born to understand our problems. But when the youths and elders sat and examined his records, they referred to him as the one river that has plenty fishes: the crowds paused a little and began to assess his career; therefore in this article, it is my interest to evaluate the chances of the APC candidate for the Ilorin West/Asa Federal constituency in line with the following parameters: His educational background, personality and records, potentials and possible outcomes of the electoral contest.
*Educational Background*
Shagaya has his first taste of education at the Lebanese Community School, Yaba, Lagos State, Nigeria. As a young one who desired to know more, he proceeded to Adesoye College, Offa, Kwara State, Nigeria. This exposed him to getting more acquainted with the socio-economic environment of the state, particularly his hometown, Ilorin. He did not stop there but advanced to Rockwell College, Tipperary, Ireland, like a witty bird. His unending desire to put the Ilorin West /Asa federal constituency on the road to economic glory and prosperity is traceable to his exposure to foreign policies and programmes that have brought about the wealth of nations in the global environment. This is true as he proceeded to study at Malvern College, Worcestershire, United Kingdom, and attained a bachelor’s certificate in International Relations from the University of Plymouth, United Kingdom. His quest for more ways to solve the problem of humanity and societal development led him to the University of Manchester, where he was trained and refined within the field of International Development Management.
*Personality and Development*
The crowd seems right as they refer to him as the harvest rain. This is evident in his most recent act of generosity and kind heartedness towards the populace, where he empowered over 800 small and medium-scale business entrepreneurs. His adventurous personality forms the foundation of his political ambitions, and he has vowed to explore the areas of agriculture and tourism in his constituency. Considering his dashing nature, achieving this development agenda is 0.1% out of 100% impossible as he is not just a certified business development expert with an eagle eye to spot development and growth opportunities. Still, he remains one among the very few who use solar power to improve the welfare of the populace in rural communities. His recent borehole water intervention program to improve accessibility to potable water in Asa and Ilorin West cannot be overemphasized. In his magnanimity, he hopes to extend the gesture to all sixteen local government areas of Kwara State. His scholarship scheme aids the indigent students and restores hope for the hopeless and hapless.
*Potentials and Possible Outcomes*
Shagaya remains a rare breed who puts others first before himself. His innovative and creative solutions to human and societal problems and the general welfare of the populace, especially in rural areas, mirror his love for the people at the grassroots. Considering that grassroots development and empowerment of youths is sinequanon to a society that wants to taste the wine of growth and development, finding a registered voter in the Ilorin West/Asa constituency who does not love Shagaya is less than 2%. Shagaya is the hope of the average Kwaran who wants an immediate change and dreams daily about this change.
His winning rate is further enhanced by the fact that the party under which he is contesting remains the state’s trending and most loved song. Almost everyone has fallen in love with the visionary works of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq. So tell me, who will love the principal or father and hate his student or son? The most popular among the opposition parties in the state is PDP. However, the PDP’s failure to find the best recipe for the people’s preferred dish remains a big problem to the party’s success in the state.
Another factor that will serve as an index in determining the possible outcomes of the election is dependent on the people’s will. If the people say yes, who can say no? But the stronger question is, whose name is in the people’s hearts? While we may not have an outright answer for this, here is a clue of what the answer may be: First, who hates development? Secondly, who desires to move backwards? Thirdly, if the people are fishermen, is there any fisherman who does not like a river where he can catch a lot of fish? If everyone loves development, hates to move backwards and many fishes, who then will hate Shagaya?