Kunle ADELABU
The Council of Obas and Chiefs in Ikorodu Division, led by the Ayangbure of Ikorodu and the Permanent Vice Chairman, Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs, His Royal Majesty, Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi, has presented the demands of the Ikorodu division to the administration of President Muhammudu Buhari.
The presentation was made on Sunday, February 10, during the visit of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to the Ayangbure palace .
His Royal Majesty, Oba Ajibade Agoro, the Ranodu of Imota, spoke on behalf of the other five traditional rulers in the division.
Other royal fathers at the meeting were Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, Oba Semiudeen Kasali, Olubeshe of Ibeshe, Oba Richard Ogunsanya, Obateru of Egbin, Oba Akeem Oyebo and Sekumade of Ipakodo, Oba Bashir Sotonwa.
Top on the list of demands presented to President Buhari-led Federal Government is the need to open-up the Nigerian Port Authority at the Ikorodu Terminal, Education, by decentralizing activities at the Apapa port.
The royal fathers also rekindled the pursuit of special status for Lagos State being a former federal capital territory, commercial nerve of the country and the melting point of all Nigerians which is experiencing increasing migration into it daily.
Another request made was the revamping of the largest industrial estate in West Africa located at Odogunyan in Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area of Ikorodu division.
The monarchs informed Osibajo that most of the companies in the industrial estate had gone into comatose due to high production cost occasioned by lack of electricity and other factors.
They added that the main road leading into the estate has also collapsed making operations more difficult for few surviving companies that are still operating.
An appeal was also made for communities in and around Egbin Thermal Station located within the Ijede Local Council Development Area of Ikorodu Division.
The traditional rulers appealed for the intervention of the federal government in making the electricity company to be more committed to its Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) to the affected communities.
Also, there is request for more federal presence in the division, especially in the area of infrastructural development.
In his contribution, Oba Shotobi, assured the visiting Vice President of the support of the people of the division for President Buhari and APC during the forthcoming elections.
The Vice President, in his brief response, promised that all the requests would be addressed if they win a second term and also appealed for the supports of the monarchs and the entire people of Ikorodu division.
Presentations of Asa Arokolo statue and a bible were made to Prof. Osinbajo during the visit by Oba Shotobi.
In the entourage of the Vice President were Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman, Diaspora Commission, Mr Babafemi Ojudu among others.
