Kunle Adelabu
Ikorodu Heroes (I-Heroes), a group of young professional indigenes in Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, has launched community/developmental projects for 2020.
The projects were unveiled at the 10th anniversary celebration/4th Annual General Meeting of the group held at the Admos Hotel, Imota, on Saturday, March 21, 2020, while the scorecard of the group, which has impacted positively on the development of the division, was also presented.
Addressing our reporter at the event, Mr Seun Eleso, the I-Heroes President, stated that his administration swung into action after inauguration about a year ago to set in motion actions towards the development of the division.
“Barely a year ago when this team was elected at the 3rd AGM of this great association, it dawned on us that there is more to be done beyond rhetoric, grammar and mere public commentary.
“The team quickly identified areas of low hanging fruits which could contribute immensely toward achieving our broaden objectives.
“Our aims and objectives are but not limited to ensuring that Ikorodo Division is fairly and firmly represented and recognised regarding all developmental issues within Lagos State, as we constructively preserve, support or oppose issues and policies that are favourable and unfavourable to the growth of the division.
Speaking on I-Heroes 2020 projects, Eleso stated that the group would be paying visit to all traditional rulers in the division for the purpose of introducing the group to them and offer themselves for services towards the development of the division as one of their year 2020 projects.
He also listed development of working document for the development of communities within the Ikorodu Division, policy engagement through social media and print media presence, know your heroes challenge and membership drive for quality and professional young men within the division as part of the 2020 agenda of I-Heroes.
“In moving forward, we have instituted some strategies which we hope will guide our engagements with critical stakeholders in community development.
“The entire members of the association have been sub-divided into groups namely: Education and Educational Infrastructures, Public Utility, Works and Infrastructures, Political Matters and Economy, Security Community Engagement and Social Welfare and Finance and Mobilisation .
“We will, therefore, be gathering quality data and our study and findings on the above sub-divided groups shall form the basis of our interaction with the stakeholders that we will be meeting during the year”, President Eleso stated.
The I-Heroes President, while also presenting his account of stewardship, stated that members have been assisting in traffic management.
“I-Heroes has made herself relevant at all developmental front in Ikorodu”, he stated.
“We have sustained our contribution towards traffic management by assisting the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) on a consistent basis at locations characterized by heavy vehicular density such as Ojubode, Itamaga, Ita-Elewa junction, Igbogbo junction, Sabo roundabout among others.
“Equally noteworthy, we have embarked on philanthropic gestures which included donation of white board among other things to the Special School at Ebute-lpakodo .
“We also did medical outreach at the Ikorodu division Youth Summit, where over 300 individuals were screened for various health issues.
“It is important to highlight a notable success story of the medical outreach, a 19-year old lady was diagnosed of a severe high blood pressure reading of 220/110 mmHg, and was immediately treated by the medical personnel on ground.
“Her health challenge was monitored after the medical outreach was concluded until her case was normalized. This is a case among other discoveries and intervention at the medical outreach”, Eleso stated.
He also stated that the group has ensured discussions on major issues affecting the division and members lending their voices to critical issues.
In addition, we have ensured a robust intellectual engagement on issues relating to the development of the community by lending our voices through various publications in the newsletters both on social and print media platforms.
“To cite as an examples is our presentations at the reception hosted by the Ikorodu Division Resurce Development Group for the elected and appointed officials of Ikorodu division extraction of Lagos State.
“At the event, an 11-point agenda was presented with the caption, “What is the Ikorodu Division Agenda?.
“We also contributed fully to the discussion at the Ikorodu Division Youth Summit and during the inauguration of the present executive and legislative councils of the National Association of Ikorodu Division Students (NAIDS), I was invited to speak alongside other guest speakers”, Eleso added.
Builder Olusesan Daini, the Chairman of Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA) who was a special guest of honour at the occasion, speaking during the interactive session before having a close door session with members of the group, charged the group to be more feasible and engaging and not to be engaging in behind the scene game.
He commended the group for sustaining the association for ten years and silently making impacts on the division during that period.
While acknowledging the composition of the group, Daini added that they are capable of contributing meaningfully and taking Ikorodu Division to the next step.
“I am happy to be here as a special guest of honour at your 10th anniversary and 4th AGM. It’s not an easy thing to gather people together for 10 years.
“I must commend all members for keeping yourself together for ten years. There would have been crisis and disagreement but you have been able to surmount all challenges and odds to stay together for the purpose of contributing your own quota to the development of your community and division.
“You have to be more feasible in the community by engaging in more community activities and engagements. This is a collection of young professionals and you are leaders in your own right and capable of moving the Ikorodu Division forward.
“lt’s only through your consistent and committed involvement in community activities that you can be feasible and be well projected.
“You have shown that you are capable leaders because you have been able to coordinate and manage yourselves for this long and the association is still going stronger”, Builder Daini stated while commending members of I-Heroes.
He assured members of the group that his council is ready to partner with them in developing the community and moving Ikorodu division forward.
“I am ready to partner with I-Heroes in developing our communities and division”, he assured the group.
