Ilorin Tallest Flagpole: Where Are The So Called Advisers

Abdulsalam Oniyere

When I first heard that Kwara State now hosts the “tallest flagpole in West Africa,” I thought it was a joke from some overzealous supporters trying to praise Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for yet another superficial project. But then I saw the video and the staggering rumour that over N500 million was spent on it and I froze. Not out of admiration, but deep confusion. What exactly is this meant to solve?

Let’s put this in context. Pensioners across Kwara State haven’t been paid for months. Teachers in public schools are waiting endlessly for their salaries. Basic healthcare remains a luxury in some local governments. Yet, our Governor’s priority is planting a giant metal rod in the sky? What purpose does it serve? Is it supposed to cure hunger, build classrooms, or pay off the debt of dignity owed to our senior citizens?

We now hear that a giant horse statue is also on the way to Government House. Maybe next, it will be a giant drum or an oversized spoon. All these may make for great photo ops and hashtags, but they do nothing to improve lives. What kind of legacy is this? One of extravagance in the face of widespread suffering?
It’s not just about the flagpole or the horse. It’s about what they represent, a government more focused on showmanship than solutions. A government that appears more eager to impress outsiders than to uplift its own people. We need answers, not symbolism. We need action, not aesthetics.

Ilorin is not the only place in Kwara. Beautifying the capital while the rest of the state sinks into silence and despair is unfair and unjust. It’s not wrong to beautify a city, but when that comes at the expense of feeding people, paying salaries, or building hospitals, then we have a crisis of priority.

Let’s ask the hard question: What has this administration done in terms of high-impact, revenue-yielding projects? Where is the industrial base? Where are the innovations in agriculture, tech, or trade? Despite increased federal allocations, the economic outlook for Kwarans remains gloomy. If anything, we’re losing more than we’re gaining.
Let’s also not act like the President is the reason for our woes. Tinubu may be sending more money to states, but Kwara’s handlers seem more interested in optics than outcomes. If you hand a child a golden spoon, they’ll likely play with it. That’s what we’re seeing here.

And to the so-called advisers around the Governor what exactly are they advising? That giant flags make hungry people forget their pain? That statues can cover up unpaid salaries? We are watching, and very soon, every name associated with this mess will be remembered.
Kwara doesn’t need the tallest pole. It needs the tallest standard of governance.
We’re not against beautification, but not when stomachs are empty and schools are crumbling. Let the flag fly, but let the people eat and the pensioners walk with dignity.

Abdulsalam Oniyere, Ilorin West, Adewole Ward.