Kunle ADELABU
-Ikorodu West, North LCDAs to participate in 2019 Ikorodu-Oga festival
Otunba Ganiyu Olusegun Abiru, the re-elected chairman of the Ikorodu-Oga Development Association (IKODASS), has assured that the socio-cultural organization, which is responsible for the annual celebration of Ikorodu-Oga Day Carnival, has been positioned for the 21st century challenges.
He made this revelation in the speech he delivered after he was sworn-in for the second term as IKODASS Chairman alongside other newly elected officers at the Oteju Mini-Hall, Ikorodu Town hall, Ikorodu on Sunday, June 16, 2019.
Others sworn in along with Otunba Abiru were Alhaji Kolawole Fatai, Deputy Chairman, Mrs Akinsanya Basirat, Vice Chairman, Com. Pelaiye Jaiu, General Secretary, Elesho Abolaji Oluwaseun, Assistant General Secretary, Salami Awolaru Taiwo Hassan, Treasurer, Mrs Aroyewun Oluwatoyin Sidikat, Financial Secretary and Adeyeri Remilekun, Assistant Social Secretary.
Others were Abojukoro Quadri, Legal Adviser, Awolesi Bilikisu Adepelola, Welfare Officer, Borokinni Hammed Olanrewaju, Internal Auditor, Anibaba Temitope, Youth Representative, Sonibare Lukman Abdul, CDA/CDC Representative and Oyenuga Olubunmi, Market Representative.
The five executive council members that were also sworn in were , Mr Shopitan Olusola, Olanrewaju Fausat, Animashaun AbdulHakeem , Rufai Oluseyi and Yusuf Omotayo Keeji.
At the event , Certificates of Return were presented to the new executive members by the electoral body while the out gone exco members were presented with awards of recognition.
Otunba Abiru, while presenting his acceptance speech shortly after taking oath of office, stated that :
“In the last few years, IKODASS has been tremendously transformed to incorporate into its mandate some other responsibilities geared towards making it a modern association that would be relevant in the socio-economic and political realities of the 21st century.
“We will improve on what we have done in the last two years to evolve new things that would further endear the association to all and sundry”.
He stated that the new executive council will set in motion plans in line with the constitution of the association to fill the vacuum created by the death and inactiveness due to old age of some trustees, patrons and patronesses.
The chairman, while disclosing the increase in the cost of Ankara fabric for the annual Ikorodu-Oga Carnival from N2,000 to N2,500, also appealed to the residents for understanding as the association is finding it difficult to meet its financial obligations.
Also in the speech, Otunba Abiru stated that there is a plan to establish a cultural dance group and extending the activities of the annual Ikorodu – Oga Day celebration to the other two councils (Ikorodu West and North Local Council Development Areas) in Ikorodu Constituency I.
“IKODASS will have its own cultural dance group while the celebration of the festival will not be restricted to Ikorodu Central.
“This year, Ikorodu West and Ikorodu North Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) will have a feel of the yearly events”.
While thanking the Lagos State Government for its support, Otunba Abiru assured the teeming Ikorodu populace, who have been living in fear due to the recent killings by cult groups, that IKODASS will continue to work in conjunction with the traditional ruler in Ikorodu, local vigilance group(Onyabo) and other stakeholders in bringing sanity and peace to Ikorodu.
He also appealed to the warring gangs to sheathe their swords and embrace peace.
Otunba Abiru claimed that government has failed in the discharge of its responsibilities, particularly in the provision of jobs and welfare and also in securing the lives of the citizenry.
“Government‘s major responsibilities include among others, the well being or welfare and security of its people. Government is gradually failing in these. It is a fact that government cannot give jobs to every unemployed youth, but it can create an enabling environment to generate wealth.
Otunba Abiru also condemned what he termed as marginalization of Ikorodu division in the governance of Lagos State.
He also condemned the administration of the six councils in the division, describing the projects being executed by there leadership as cosmetic
“Our local governments, which are the third tier of government and are supposed to be very close to the people, are paradoxically very far away from those they are supposed to look after.
“All of them are complaining of inadequacy of funds to execute projects, while those that are executing projects have not altruistically prioritized what they are executing . Projects will be meaningful if they will be beneficial to the greatest number of people living in that community.
“What I see as the albatross of our local governments leadership is their penchant to play to the gallery with less impactful projects”.
While challenging local government administrators to be creative in revenue generation and administration of councils, Otunba Abiru warned them that people are getting more enlightened.
“Our local government chairmen must be creative and innovative to meet the challenges of the present day socio-economic and political realities. We should know that our politics is wearing a new improved colour while the electorates are getting enlightened by the day”.
The Chairman of the IKODASS electoral committee, Alhaji Wakilu Lemmy Anibaba, in his address, thanked the association for the opportunity given to the committee to serve the community.
He was represented at the event by a member of the committee, Mr Olusegun Iluyombo.
Alhaji Anibaba stated that the committee did not collect the N20, 000 earmarked as take-off grant to the electoral body while stating that N310, 000 was realized from the sale of forms.
“We did not collect the N20, 000 grant earmarked to kick -start the electoral process.
He stated that they encouraged more people to buy the nomination forms by not revealing the identity of those purchasing the forms and the positions they were contesting for.
“We made the collection of forms to be secret and ensured that none of the aspirants collecting the forms for a particular office was aware of his or her opponents.
“We are not perfect but we performed creditably with little or no resources” .
