Kunle ADELABU
Agitation for more government presence in Ikorodu division resonated on Wednesday, September 11,2019, during the Constituency Stakeholders’ Meeting held in Ikorodu Constituencies I and II at Owutu and Imota areas of Ikorodu Division, Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria.
The parley, which is an annual forum initiated by the Lagos State House of Assembly and held simultaneously in the 40 Constituencies across the state, provides avenue for residents to contribute to social, economic and political decisions in the state.
This year’s edition was themed, “Environmental Challenges: Community engagement to facilitate lasting solutions “ and was held in two different venues in Ikorodu division at the Teaching Service Staff Development Centre (TSSDC), Owutu, Agric, Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Ikorodu Constituency I and and Admos Hotel & Suites, Ebute Ajebo Road, Imota, Imota Local Council Development Area in Ikorodu Constituency II.
Aside suggesting ways out of the environmental challenges at the meeting, residents of the division also called for more political appointments for Ikorodu division, urgent intervention on provision of motor-able roads, completion of abandoned projects, upgrade of health facilities and recognition of more traditional rulers in the division.
Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, the Majority Leader, Lagos State House of Assembly and the representative of Ikorodu Constituency I and Hon. Nurudeen Solaja, the representative of Ikorodu Constituency II , were the chief hosts at the two venues while the six council chairmen in the division were the hosts.
Oba Kabiru Shotobi, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu , speaking at the parley through his representative, Otunba Ayodele Elesho, a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in the state, at the Owutu venue, called for more government presence in Ikorodu division .
He also bemoaned the state of roads across the division while calling on the government to urgently intervened.
Oba Shotobi listed Sekumade road, Ipakodo-Igbogbo road, Agric-Owutu road, Itamaga –Ijede road, and many other inner roads that are in need of urgent attention by the government.
He also charged the Lagos State Government to curb corruption and abuse of power by Environmental and Traffic officials.
“The government should look into the behaviors of the officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) and agencies in the cause of carrying out their duties. Most of them are enforcing the laws in their own ways and not the ways prescribed by the law. They are enriching themselves and imposing hardship on the people” , he alleged.
The monarch also challenged the state government to complete abandoned housing project along Ibeshe road in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA and make it available for the masses, while also calling for the upgrade of the General Hospital, Ikorodu, and other health facilities in the division.
In addition, the royal father stated that there is need to have more traditional rulers in the division.
In his own submission, Oba Bashir Sotonwa, the Sekumade of Ipakodo, while lending support to all that were stated by Oba Shotobi, also added that Sekumade road, which he said is a strategic road like most roads in the division , is in need of the government’s intervention.
Oba Semiuddeen Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo and Oba Akeem Oyebo, the Obateru of Egbin, in their own separate contributions at the Imota venue of the meeting, also lamented state of roads in their respective domains and the division at large and called on the government to live up to its promise that contractors would move into sites after the raining season.
Oba Sotonwa further called for effective management of rubber and nylon waste through recycling.
Asipa Kaoli Olusanya, Vice Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Lagos East Senatorial District , who was present at the two venues , stated that it is important for the citizenry to continually engage those in government.
He assured residents and leaders in the division that the government would ensure that their demands are met, while also stating that roads in the division needing urgent attention would be attended to by the state government.
The Grand Chief Imam of Ikorodu Division, Sheikh Seifudeen Olowo-Oribi , in his own remarks at the Owutu venue, alleged that Ikorodu division is being marginalized in term of appointments and infrastructural developments.
He called for concerted efforts among residents to work together in making Ikorodu division reassert herself within the Lagos arrangement.
The revered muslim cleric also challenged decision makers in the division to allow for the emergence of more traditional rulers in the division.
“If we are saying that we are being shortchanged at the state level in term of appointments and infrastructures, do we , on our own, allow more traditional rulers to emerge where necessary? Having more Obas would not in any way diminish the importance of those that we have now” , Chief Imam affirmed.
Many residents that spoke during the parleys also called for the state government to pay more attention to Ikorodu Division, especially in the area of political and civil service appointments, road rehabilitation and other infrastructural developments.
