Kunle Adelabu
High Chief Adewunmi Ogunsanya, SAN, Chairman, MultiChoice Nigeria who chaired the maiden edition of the Ikorodu Division Security Summit, has condemned the six Local Government and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Ikorodu Division area of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, for their failures to attend the summit.
Ogunsanya, who is the holder of the traditional Odofin of Ikorodu Kingdom and Chairman of the Ikorodu Division Security Trust Limited, also stated his reason for refusing to sit down with the council administrators and other politicians regarding the operations of security architecture in the division.
The security summit, themed, “Eradicating Menace of Cultism and Other Social Vices: Causes, Effects and Solutions”, organized by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikorodu branch, in conjunction with the Ikorodu Division Youth Initiative (IDYI) and National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), was held at the Ikorodu Town Hall on Thursday, September 22, 2021.
The legal luminary, who said that he returned to Ikorodu by 1.00am for the purpose of attending the summit, also expressed his disappointment at the lateness of guests and some members of the NBA while two other Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) invited as keynote speakers and other guests arrived the event early.
He called for a change of attitude in coming late to important events like the security summit.
“I turned down the request to give recognition to representatives of the Council Chairmen because they should have been here in person instead of sending representatives.
“They are supposed to be here themselves because many that are here left other engagements for this programme.
“Here we have our representative (Hon. Agunbiade), Olumale Eluku (Chief Olanbanji Oreagba) and other dignitaries here”, he said.
None of the six chairmen – Hon. Wasiu Adeshina, Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government, Hon. Sulaimon Kazem Olanrewaju, Chairman, Ikorodu West LCDA, Hon. Adeola Banjo, Chairman, Ikorodu North LCDA, Builder Sesan Daini, Chairman, Igbogbo.Bayeku LCDA, Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo – Alogba, Chairman, Ijede LCDA and Hon. Wasiu Agoro, Chairman, Imota LCDA, attended the well publicised security meeting despite being invited.
The five of the council chairmen were represented by Hon. Kabir Kareem, Vice Chairman, Ijede Local Council Development Area while the former Secretary to the Ikorodu LG, Alhaji Lateef Afinni, represented the Ikorodu LG Chairman.
Princess Folashade Olabanji – Oba, Vice Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government attended the summit in her own capacity.
Speaking on the reason he did not accept to meet with the Council Chairmen and other politicians on the security architecture, Odofin Ogunsanya said that he refused because some of them are also making use of these guys (cultists).
He disclosed that he called and discussed with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the Senator representing Lagos East, Sen. Adetokunbo Abiru, representative of Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Hon. Babajimi Benson and the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian in Diaspora Commission and former Member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abike Dabiri – Erewa, the violent conduct at the last local government primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ikorodu where members freely used guns and other dangerous weapons.
