Senator Sikiru Adebayo Oshinowo
Honourable Babajimi Adegoke Benson (MHR)
Honourable Sanai Oyeniran B. Agunbiade (ML, LSHA)
Honourable Nurudeen Saka Sholaja (Member, LSHA)
It is heartwarming to congratulate your personalities as you are being inaugurated into the 9th Assemblies across your respective Assemblies and Chamber. I congratulate and wish you the very best as you clinch various posts and possibly committees at your respective levels of representation. May almighty Allah ease your affairs and guide you all rightly.
In my simple and unusual way of communicating to my representatives across Ikorodu Division to the Lagos-East Senatorial District, I wish to highlight the following areas of concern as it affects our community at large.
Electricity
I wish to express that electricity to some extent has been stabilised in some areas in Ikorodu Division. We appreciate Hon Jimi Benson as the Adhoc Committee Chairman on Distribution Companies (Discos) in the 8th National Assembly for his efforts. We clamour for more in Ikorodu as some communities are still in need of electricity and it’s appliances such as Transformers and Power Stations to collaborate and corroborate the existing ones and boost the economic development of our dear community.
Education
It is noteworthy that education is the bedrock of a developing economy, thereby leading to enabling environment which affects the standard of living and business activities. We need our representatives to liaise with both the Federal Ministry and Lagos State Ministry of Education to elevate our existing Schools and stock the libraries, equip the laboratories and create a competitive atmosphere for Scientific research among Secondary School. Lack of adequate tables and chairs is an eyesore in both our primary and Secondary Schools. Ikorodu Division as a whole has Lagos State Polytechnic and Caleb University (Private) as the only institutions – we need and deserve more!
ICT
This area has been the most sorted after and fastest developing avenue for individual skills development. I must hail the effort of the Lagos State Government on the “Code Lagos Initiative” which has enabled Hon. Jimi Benson, to construct and donate an ICT centre in Ikorodu. Our division needs more of such across the Local governments and LCDA’s, we need to develop our youths in order to have a healthy atmosphere. It is sad to note that our Public Secondary Schools lack standard ICT facilities where the world is fast diversifying and developing. The growth and development of any nation start from its foundation, there is the need for a fast approach at looking into this, which is not limited to Hon. Jimi Benson but other representatives of Ikorodu across the State and Senator. We need ICT Hubs in Ikorodu, a place centres enough to bring together programmers, software developers and code writers together for inter-exchange of ideas, cooperation, and development of ideas.
Empowerment/Upliftment
Empowerment in this instance is making the youths undergo training, by creating a conducive environment and resources sufficient to kick-start hands-on training to result in the creation of products and services which will be patronised both locally and internationally. Our youths require adequate training in various capacities, they need mega empowerment/upliftment as I know Ikorodu Youths are not Lazy. We are intelligent, capable, willing and ready to learn and explore.
Infrastructures
Infrastructural facilities in Ikorodu requires an upgrade and renovations. Street light on our roads are no longer working, the hospital filled with staff who are negligent at their work, while our roads are a complete eyesore. Ikorodu Division requires development of roads which will create and enhance businesses, such as Sabo – Eyita – Ojokoro linking Agric – Isawo – Arepo road which is connected from Ita Oluwo – Agbede – Isawo / Imuti, Igbogbo – Oreyo – Ginti road linking Itamaga – Ijede road connecting Gbodu – Agura – Gberigbe to Imota, Lucky Fibre – Erikorodo linking Odogunyan and some other linkage roads which will enable a booming business activities and ease of transportation.
Sports, Entertainment, Culture & Arts
Ikorodu Division as a whole has neither a museum / Art theatre nor does it has a Standard Stadium to encourage sports. Football, for instance, has existing clubs whose players could not train on its soil but outside Ikorodu, this is not encouraging. Other sports also lacks training venues which are factors that will keep the youths busy against cultism and gangsterism. Our culture and heritage also need to be protected, as competition in maths and other subjects are being held, such for cultures and arts should also be encouraged among Primary and Secondary Schools as our cultures and heritage are fast fading off.
Employment
As the age barrier has been lifted on employment opportunity, we hope that our representatives through proactive dialogue and lobbying will ensure our youths are employed in various government ministries, parastatals, and agencies. By creating a more enabling environment through legislation, private organisations will invest more in our communities which will result in the creation of additional employment.
I hope that with the little penned above, a progressive and more conducive environment will be created, where our youths get busy through adequate training in various skill development and fully empowered to practice their acquired skills. It is with great belief that we expect more positive and proactive approach to these developmental issues.
By Rabiu Qawiyy Adebayo
(Ashiwaju Korweey)
