Kunle Adelabu
The first Secretary to the Lagos State Government (SSG) and former Commissioner for Education in the state, Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basrun, has revealed how the Ikorodu Divisioon Resource Development Group came into being.
Basorun, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a member of the Governor Advisory Council (GAC) in the State, revealed this to THE IMPACT during an interview conducted in his office the day he marked the 25th anniversary of his installation as the Asiwaju of Igbogbo.
The elder statesman explained that the group was the outcome of a meeting he had with the first civilian governor in the state, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, under whom he served as the first SSG of the state and later as a Commissioner, during which he was advised to gathered scholars and other resourceful individuals in the division.
The APC Chieftain had met with Governor Jakande to informed him that none of the Lagos indigenes, including three Professors from Ikorodu, were deemed qualified as Vice Chancellor (VC) for Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, at that time.
“The group was a product of a meeting that I held with Jakande where I discussed about the appointment of Vice Chancellor for the Lagos State University then. I told him that out of the six Professors that took part in the interview, three were from Ikorodu.
“But then, the governor has many advisers, and he was given impression that the man that was picked then who is from Ogun State, Folabi Olumide, was from Lagos”.
According to Asiwaju Basorun, “He now advised that I should gathered our resourceful people in Ikroodu together since we have many of them.
“Although, he didn’t ask us to form any orgaisation but when I called them; Late Professor Adegbola who was the first chairman of the group, Prof Sanni, Prof. Kunle Wahab, Prof. Nimbe Adedipe, Dr Osinowo (who later became a Professor), Oye Solebo, Salisu Alogba and Late Musediq Alogba. The last three persons were my associates politically. When I told them what Jakande discussed with me, they believed me and on the 15th of July 1983, the group was formed.
He stated that two objectives were set by the Resource Group at inception.
“We set objectives that first, the town hall project which was on with standing pillars must be completed and the second objective was to set up committees to look into what to do with our educationally system which was bad. Several other objectives were added later.
“That was how we started the group. In 1994, the town hall was commissioned and everybody was happy. Since then, the place has been improving. The location of the edifice used to be field where we normally do Empire Day for the Colonial master”.
Asiwaju Basorun stated that the town hall edifice which, according to him, has been adjudged as one of the community halls in Nigeria, is a pride for Ikorodu division.
“Today, the place is beyond just a town hall and I am so happy. Whatever are the hidden gods of Ikorodu, they have blessed that place. It is a pride for the people of Ikorodu division. That was the number one achievement of the Resource Group.
Speaking further on the Resource Group, Asiwaju Basorun stated:
“I was the second chairman of the group between 1986 and 1988 and there had been several others thereafter. Till date, I still participate and pay my annual subscription because it is a group that I believe in.
“Then, we were writing on a plain paper, it was Segun Ogunbunmi, who passed on few months ago, that designed the group’s logo. Whatever anybody contributes to the development of a community does not go unacknowledged”.
