By Abdullateef Ishowo
Given the historiography of Nigeria’s democratic experiment, where, more often than not, the echoes of ancient crowns intertwine with the hallowed halls of legislation, few figures embody the harmonious blend of tradition and transformative service quite like Senator Saliu Mustapha. Although the People’s Senator is no doubt a proud and illustrious scion of the ancient city of Ilorin –gracefully bearing the distinguished and exalted title of “Turaki of Ilorin Emirate,” a crown of honour that speaks volumes of his deep-rooted heritage and noble stature –the rich agnomens of other cultures and traditions surrounding him have spared no effort, deploying every subtle charm and persuasive allure within their grasp, in a fervent bid to draw him into their warm embrace and lay an absolute, undiluted claim upon his noble sonship.
Recently adorned with the enviable title of Tabariki Nupe Land –the first of its kind, bestowed by Etsu Nupe himself –this distinguished son of Kwara has emerged not merely as a lawmaker, but as a beacon of abundance and blessings, much like the very name “Tabariki” evokes from its Arabic roots of Tabarakah.
Conferred in a ceremony steeped in the rich cultural heritage of the Nupe Kingdom, the title “First Tabariki Nupe” celebrates a man whose influence and elegance flow like the life-giving rivers that nourish the fertile plains of Nupeland. This political maverick means different things to a multitude of people, but one thing is not uncertain: he is a man of great honour, characterized by the sincerity of his words, the honesty of his leadership vision, the genuineness of his hard work, the ceaseless showers of his wide-reaching benevolence and the boundless weight of his unyielding commitment to the upliftment and prosperity of the people who elected him to office. As a symbol of human dignity, Senator Mustapha carries this honour not as mere regalia, but as a sacred charge—one that finds eloquent expression in his tireless labours within the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly.
At the vanguard of Nigeria’s quest for food sovereignty, the People’s Senator, in his manifest capacity as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agricultural Production, Services and Rural Development, has championed a bouquet of visionary bills that promise to blossom into enduring legacies. Most recently, the Senate advanced critical agricultural reforms under his stewardship, including the National Food Reserve Agency (Establishment) Bill. This legislative masterpiece is envisioned as a majestic “prosperity engine,” designed to shield the nation from the tempests of food scarcity, stabilize prices, and elevate humble rice farmers from the quiet struggles of subsistence into the luminous realm of commercial triumph.
Complementing this is the Mandatory Cassava Inclusion in Flour Production Bill, a forward-thinking measure that seeks to weave the golden roots of cassava –abundant across our savannahs and farmlands –into the very fabric of national flour production, with a minimum 20 percent inclusion. In doing so, it aims to reduce costly imports, empower local farmers and fortify the nation’s food basket against external shocks. These initiatives, presented through detailed committee reports just days ago, ripple with the spirit of Tabariki: abundance born not from fleeting fortune, but from deliberate, rooted action.
Nonetheless, his legislative garden yields even richer harvests. He has sponsored the Electronic Transactions Bill, steering Nigeria gently yet firmly into the digital age, where market women and youthful entrepreneurs might transact with the ease of morning breeze. The Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill seeks to refine the sacred machinery of democracy, while other proposals, including those revitalizing agricultural extension services and establishing innovation centers, promise to scatter seeds of knowledge across rural heartlands. Each bill is a verse in a larger epic –one where policy meets the soil, where governance kisses the aspirations of the common man.
There is a poetic symmetry in this convergence. Just as the Tabariki title drapes Senator Mustapha in the dignified robes of Nupe tradition –symbolizing blessings that multiply and influence that endures –his bills at the National Assembly extend those same blessings across ethnic lines and geographic boundaries. From the bustling markets of Ilorin to the majestic landscapes of Bida, his service transcends senatorial borders. He does not merely represent Kwara Central; he embodies a philosophy where traditional honour fuels modern progress, where the wisdom of the ancestors informs laws that feed, empower and dignify the living.
In an era often clouded by cynicism and jaded negativity, the People’s Senator stands as a refreshing ode to purposeful leadership. The conferment of Tabariki Nupe Land is no idle accolade; within the traditional realm, it’s a resounding affirmation of a life dedicated to service. As he dons this historic title, one imagines the ancestors of Nupe smiling upon a son who has chosen not the path of mere acclaim, but the noble road of impact –sowing legislative seeds today that shall yield forests of food security, economic inclusion and national resilience tomorrow.
Indeed, in Senator Saliu Mustapha, Nigeria beholds a rare bloom: a statesman whose crown of tradition rests lightly upon shoulders strengthened by legislative labour, leadership sagacity, sterling reputation and vibrant political structure.
Little wonders, the opposition parties in Kwara political terra firma harbour but one fervent and desperate prayer: that the Kwara APC, in a moment of unpardonable folly, would deny Senator Saliu Mustapha the gubernatorial ticket. Should such a grievous error come to pass, they believe the party would have dug its own grave, buried itself alive in political oblivion and unwittingly paved a golden path for its adversaries to sweep in and seize the mantle of power.
Abdullateef Ishowo is the Director of Media and Strategic Communication to Senator Saliu Mustapha
