Kunle Adelabu
A group of young men and women in Igbogbo community area of Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Ikorodu Division, Lagos, Southwest, Nigeria, has resolved to be politically active by mobilizing residents to participate in politics.
The new group, called Vanguard Group, which is a political movement formed recently with over 300 members, is set to launch its activities soon with the primary aims of mobilising and ensuring good governance and community development.
Mr Faniyi Olaiga Tolulope, Chairman of the group, speaking with THE IMPACT, said that the group was formed by young men, adding that it is open for every member of the community who is interested in political engagement and development.
“The Vanguard Group is a youth political movement. It was tagged as a youth political group because those that started it are young people but its membership is opened to market women, artisans, students and the likes”, Faniyi said.
“Our aim is to ensure that people are politically emancipated. We want our people to start participating actively in politics because we discover that for there to be any development, political development is very key.
“Unfortunately, we have left politics in the hands of those that do not have anything to offer and at the end of the day, we are going to be shouting mis – governance.
“This is why we have decided to take the bull by the horn by not leaving politics to them anymore”, he stated.
He said that youths in the community made the renewed determination because political engagement brings about development.
He called for improved health facilities, infrastructures, sporting facilities and roads in Igbogbo.
“Generally, we want better infrastructures like good roads. We want our health facilities to be much more active. As big as Igbogbo is, it’s quite unfortunate that we do not have a general hospital”, Vanguard President lamented.
“We also want sports development to engage our youths. There is Igbogbo stadium but the facilities there are just there waiting to be developed. We want it developed for our young ones to make use of them for their sporting development.
“We are doing everything to encourage youths to get actively involved in politics so that when the old ones are leaving the stage, our generation will be better positioned to take over. It is now time to get fully involved so as to bring development into igbogbo”, he said.
Faniyi, who stated that Igbogbo youths want to stop blaming those in-charge for lack of development, added that the focus of the group is to attract developments within political power.
“We want to stop the blame – game , get involved and learn from our leaders. This is how we can help our community to develop”, he said.
“Our major focus is to attract infrastructural development which is lacking in Igbogbo”, he revealed.
“We are going to be sponsoring any of our members interested in political offices when the time comes , but right now, we are just to support any member who has what it takes to assume a political office. We will definitely support such in achieving his or her dream”, he said.
Assessing the Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA) administration under the leadership of Builder Sesan Daini in the last three years, Faniyi said that the council needs to do more.
“Looking at the council administration in the last three years, I believe that they still need to do more. They can do better”, he said.
“Igbogbo people are suffering in silence. This is a place that lacks development and in dire need of government presence. As far as the LCDA administration is concerned, they need to look more inwardly. They need to do more in the area of infrastructures.
“They also need to be closer to the people to know how they are feeling”, he advised.
According to the group, they have adopted the two dominant parties – All Progressives Congress (APC) and People Democratic Party (PDP) and encouraged members to join either of the two for active political engagements.
Other members of the Vanguard Group’s executives are: Mr Hammed Aroyewun (Vice Chairman/ DIrector of Programmes), Mr Gbemileke Bakare (General Secretary), Mr Oke Toyyib (Asst. General Secretary), Mr Mutiu Ogunyemi (Financial Secretary ) and Mr Adeleke Aroyewun (Public Relations Officer).
