Kunle Adelabu
-Unveils agenda for traditional institution, roads, others.
Hon. Mathew Alliu Adesanya, a Chairmanship aspirant and former Secretary to the Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area (LCDA), and his supporters, on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, stormed Isiwu community, the headquarters of the council, to pay homage and seek the blessings of the traditional ruler of the ancient town for his aspiration.
The aspirant, who was also a former Councilor publicly declared his aspiration last weekend, took his campaign to Isiwu in a carnival-like style with a long convoy of vehicles.
In the convoy were chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Community developers, ward chairmen, leading community security experts, retired teachers, serving and former Councilors, students’ representatives and many others.
There were also people from South – South, Igbo and other ethnic communities.
For the first time, the aspirant’s visit to the palace also brought entire Baales in Ikorodu North LCDA to the palace of Eweye of Isiwu where they converged to shower special prayers on him and his aspiration.
Meanwhile, Hon. Adesanya, addressing Oba Kayode Raji Balogun, the Eweye of Isiwu, inside his palace which was jampacked with about twenty Baales and his supporters, said that all his community development activities in the past were not done to seek political office but purely for the love of his people.
He said that the council has no business to be poor if those in charge had managed the resources, especially the Internally Generated Revenue, very well.
He promised to change the situation if he is elected as Chairman of the council.
“With the creation of the council and considering its size, population and economic factors, Ikorodu North LCDA is supposed to be the most economically viable and profitable of all the councils in Ikorodu , but for lack of good administrators.
“We are going to change that and make the Council work for the people if we are elected”.
He said that all the factors that worked against his emergence on the two previous occasions that he aspired for the position has now given him the green light to get ready to take over.
“I have aspired for the Chairmanship position twice but the party told me that it is not yet time and l accepted but I have been getting strong signals from all the quarters that usually prevail on me to drop my ambition in the past.
“They are now telling me that it is my time now”, he said to the cheering supporters inside the Eweye palace.
“All the Baales in Ikorodu North LCDA are visiting the Eweye of Isiwu for the first time, that is part of the unity that we are bringing into the office. Our intention is to give everybody a sense of belonging and unity to the people in the council”, he said.
“We have started a relationship that would be mutually beneficial for the Council, traditional institutions and every other section of the council. It shows that we are for progress and development of our council”.
He promised to consult and listen to the royal father and Baales for their inputs and guidance when he gets into the office.
He also dispelled rumors that he wanted to relocate the council headquarters from Isiwu to Odogunyan if elected as the Council Chairman.
Hon. Mathew promised to work with the royal father in completing his palace and provide him and Baales with official vehicles in the first three months of assumption into the office.
”If I am the one in the Council as Chairman, this palace would have been completed or near completion. It shows that they are not concerned about you. I promise to intervene if elected.
“It is the responsibility of the Council to take care of the palace in terms of staffing, cleaning, maintenance and security.
“If elected, I will increase your salary and buy you an official vehicle within three months that would project your royal stool outside very well”, he promised.
The aspirant, who said that he prepared the current salaries being paid to the Baales when he was the Secretary to the Council, felt disturbed that there has not been a review since then.
“I will also increase the salaries of our Baales and provide them with a bus or two to convey them when going out with Kabiyesi”, he added.
While expressing his worries over the state of roads within the council, the aspirant said that he has plans to provide good and motorrable roads in the council.
“I am concerned about the state of roads in our council. We are going to focus on making our roads motorable and making lives easier for our people.
“We are going to revive the Tender Board and make indigenous contractors that are ready to work get job”, he pledged.
Other areas that the aspirant promised to focus on are education, youth development and security among others.
Oba Balogun, in his royal speech, commended Hon. Mathew for his community development activities and his role in his emergence as a traditional ruler.
He charged the aspirant to remember to fulfill all his promises when he eventually gets into the office and not forget all his followers.
“You have been doing very well and you shall reap the reward your good deeds.
“I charged you to do good if and when you eventually get into office. Don’t forget all your promises, especially those you have promised your followers”.
While acknowledging the presence of the entire Baales in Ikorodu North LCDA in his palace for the first time, Oba Raji described the situation as significant for the aspirant’s campaign and said that he would accept their position.
The royal father, who also called for fair treatment for the people of Isiwu in the council, pledged to work with Hon. Mathew if he is elected into the office as Chairman of Ikorodu North LCDA.
He also demanded for two cabinet appointments as compensation for Isiwu town which he said has been shortchanged since the creation of the council.
“It is not fair that Isiwu man has not been considered for the position of the Council Chairman since the creation of the Council, but I will work with you if you are elected as the Chairman.
“We will continue to agitate and there would be no excuse not to consider qualified sons and daughters of Isiwu for the same position after your term(s). It is even an affront and disrespectful that the current administration did not even deem it fit to consider anybody from Isiwu for any cabinet appointment despite the fact that we are the host town of the council”, Oba Raji protested.
“In future, it would be our turn to produce candidates for the Council Chairmanship position.
“I want everybody to note that I will be demanding two slots in your cabinet when you are elected as Chairman”.
The Director – General of the aspirant’s campaign, Mr Olowolagba, speaking earlier, said that they had visited the royal father to pay homage and get his blessings before embarking on the campaign fully.
“We are here to present your son who is aspiring to be council chairman in your domain and he has deemed it fit to pay homage before commencing his campaign fully”, he said.
Elder Laja Martins, the former Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC) in the council, also speaking, described the aspirant as a highly principled and responsible individual that is well qualified and must be supported to manage the council.
“We decided to visit your royal majesty for royal blessings for Mathew who is highly principled, responsible and always does everything that he set out to do very well”, he said.
“We are assuring you Kabiesi, that he will administer the council very well.
“When he was stopped by the party the last time, he was the one that was appealing to us and other supporters that the party has taken its decision and that we must accept it.
“We are aware that royal blessings and approval is key in everything that we do in Yoruba land , hence, our presence here today for your blessings”, the elderly community leader said.
Dare Odufowokan, another chieftain of the Hon. Mathew Adesanya Campaign team, said that the aspirant is a progressive – minded person who has been in the forefront of developing Ikorodu North LCDA, even when he is not in office.
He pleaded with the royal father to give his support for Hon. Adesanya’s aspiration in order to have somebody with vision to work with him in developing the Council.
“We are for the development of Ikorodu North LCDA. We need somebody with vision and clear understanding of issues in the council to direct its affairs and make Isiwu, one of the ancient towns, take his place among the comity of towns”, he said.
“Since you are progressive Oba, you need a progressive minded individual and good administrator to work with you in developing Isiwu and Ikorodu division as a whole. We need somebody who can share your dreams, ideas and principles and Mathew is a perfect fit.
“Mathew has passion for change. He can turn around things within a short period and his emergence will bring rapid development.
“Over the years, he has contributed to the development of education, provided employment and other opportunities for youths and he has also been ensuring that our communities are safe and secure even when he is not in office”.
