"EXTREMELY RICH" SARAKI, A PITIFUL AND PATHETIC PERSON.

Icheoku says in a civilized clime, the Nigerian Senate president would be forced to disclosed the source of his supposedly stupendous wealth and how much taxes he paid on it. But it is Nigeria and another story is being told of a man who does not manufacture nor produce a thing; and who did not write any successful app, yet parading himself rather boisterously as being richer than the state he governed. In his own testimony, Bukola Saraki, stated that he was "extremely rich" before becoming governor of Kwara State. Icheoku queries if this man is indeed as rich as he declared, why did he collect his monthly salaries and allowances as governor? Why is he also presently collecting pension from the same impoverished Kwara State, post his governorship?  

Here is a man, who according to his filed court papers, "had $22million, about £12million, 2.6m Euro and about N4billion in cash in his various bank accounts. He also possessed landed property estimated at N2billion and 15 vehicles valued at about N263.4 million" prior to becoming governor of Kwara State. So what need does Bukola Saraki has, collecting from a state he is richer than and still have the mouth of saying that he cares about the little people. Icheoku says baring crass greed and mean-spiritedness, nothing else explains his collection of his salaries and allowances plus pension as governor of Kwara State. What does this man need fifteen private vehicles for? Imagine how many jobs he could have help create in Nigeria had he invested part of his stash in business ventures in Nigeria. But instead he slushed it overseas in foreign banks.

New York City once had a mayor, Michael Bloomberg, a very wealthy humble man, a billionaire, who never described himself as "extremely rich"; but who as mayor of the richest city in America personally paid himself while discharging duties as the mayor for twelve long years. To avoid infringing laws against servitude and indenture, he received one dollar (100 cents) per year remuneration from the city as full salary and allowances. Whenever he traveled overseas, like to China on official business for the city, he flies his own private jet, personally pays allowances to officials in his delegation as well as their boarding and sustenance. The city of New York can afford to pay this team ten times over; but here is a man, truly committed to service of the people and who indeed selflessly served the people. MB is a good man and he gave it his all serving New York, including spending his own personal money in service thereof. 

Then Nigeria is cursed with people like this man, Bukola Saraki, who claimed he is "extremely rich" and richer than his home state of Kwara, yet shakes down his extremely  impoverished people of Kwara State, nickling and diming them for every and all expenses he made, genuine and otherwise; and you wonder what is wrong with Nigerians, especially the ruling class that beget this Bukola Saraki. Icheoku says if Bukola Saraki is "extremely rich", what need does he have of the extra peanuts he collected from Kwara State in salaries and allowances as well as security votes throughout his eight years as governor of Kwara State.

There is also a former governor of California, Arnold Schwazzeneggar (Terminator) who for the eight years he was governor never collected a dime for his job governing the richest state in America and the sixth largest economy in the world. He flew his private jet from his home in Brentwood (Los Angeles) to the state capital Sacramento for work. He lived in his private home and commuted to work on his own expenses and never collected reimbursements from the state. Such person is a blessing to the state or country they served; but definitely not a person as horrible as Bukola Saraki, who despite being "extremely rich", was yoked to greed. Why Nigeria is cursed with his likes, only God can tell; but surely with leaders like Bukola Saraki, Nigeria might as well become a wild wild West with no laws nor rules at all. What benefit does a society then derive from having "extremely rich" people like Bukola Saraki in their midst, one may ask.

Anyway, while Icheoku is not begrudging Bukola Saraki for being "extremely rich", Icheoku would rather he kept it to himself and not be too puerile bragging about it. Worse still, he did not disclose how he amassed such wealth and it was okay for Nigerians to hail him as rich, without veering into its source. But regardless, if this qualifies for Bukola Saraki as being "extremely rich", how would the Dangotes, Otedolas, Orji Kalus, Danjumas, Adenugas etc of Nigeria then qualify their wealth? Icheoku purposely limited the comparison to Nigeria where it is acceptable for people to boast and brag about their questionable resources; otherwise when moved to global riches, Bukola Saraki might be as merely rich as a hustler in the world of the rich and wealthy. It is rather very unfortunate and regrettable that such an "extremely rich" Bukola Saraki was so callous to deprive Kwara State money, he does not need and which the state could have used to take care of their poor and needy workers and civil servants. What a jerk he is.