Senator Saliu Mustapha at 52
By AbdurRaheem Sa’ad Dembo
A birthday is a day of reflection on one’s journey in life. It is a period at which one looks back in gratitude to the Almighty for the gift of life. In the words of the famous American singer and songwriter, Aretha Franklin, “Every birthday is a gift. Every day is a gift.”
It is indeed a gift, precious enough for gratuitous reflections on, because it is not everyone that would live to observe years in 30s, 40s, and 50s. Hence, the Turaki of Ilorin has every cause to demonstrate, in innumerable measures, an open-secret gratitude to His Creator.
This noble call transcends only what one has attained so far, but also the fact that one breathes healthily. This realization also renders a birthday as a day of musing that God is ultimately kind all the time.
Senator Saliu Mustapha is one who does not joke with giving gratitude to the Almighty Allah for the favour he has received from Him over the years. One way in which this is evident is his constant outreach to the less privileged in the society. This, no doubt, is definitive of a way of showing gratitude to God.
As a wealthy individual you can’t assume that you are grateful to God when your neighbours sleep without food in their stomachs overnight several times.
In 2023 he was elected Senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial District in the 10th Senate and he has since been performing creditably well. In a Vanguard newspaper publication dated 11th June, 2024, Senator Mustapha was not among the 24 Senators who were profiled with no sponsored bill in one year.
That was symbolic, because he has been an active senator from inception, having understood that lawmaking is one of the statutory and primary functions of legislators. So far so good,he has sponsored nine bills.
In his own way, the Turaki of Ilorin rolled out more than 2000 NECO and WAEC scholarships in 2024. That was not the first time, he has been giving out such scholarships over the years through Saliu Mustapha Foundation.
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Having understood the current precarious economic situation in the country, he has reached out to the good people of Kwara Central by distributing food items on several occasions to cushion the effects of the hardship in the country.
The most recent was the distribution of 1000 bags of rice to volunteer teachers who participated in the annual summer lessons across Kwara Central Senatorial District.
We are in an era where politicians promise much but perform less when they get to office. That is not the tradition and trait of Senator Mustapha, he is doing fantastically well. May Allah continue to guide and guard him.
Provision of streetlights, distribution of fertilizers to farmers, and construction of motorised boreholes to ease water scarcity in some selected areas in Kwara Central have also been achieved, thereby complementing the effort of Kwara State Government.
This piece is exclusively to celebrate his birthday, and not to trumpet his achievements. Hence, the reason for my silence in mentioning the areas that have benefitted so far from his monumental efforts towards making life better for the people. If you want to know more about his achievements, simply go to “Saliu Mustapha Enthusiasts” Facebook page and you would get it in details.
In some weeks ahead Senator Mustapha will roll out University Scholarships for some of the indigent students who have benefitted from his NECO and WAEC scholarships and have performed excellently well in thier UTME given to them by Turaki of Ilorin.
It is equally noteworthy that others who have their scores in UTME and have submitted to Saliu Mustapha Foundation Secretariat, as announced, would also be considered.
Most importantly, in politics, one can’t be doing something good and being loved by many, without some adversaries trying to bring one down; our dear Senator should be mindful of this, but Allah in His mercies would enable him subdue them in sha Allah.
Happy birthday to you, sir and many happy returns of this glorious moment!
AbdurRaheem Sa’ad Dembo writes from Minna, a member of Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.
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