Kunle Adelabu
The entire royal fathers in Ikorodu Division has stated emphatically that the newly established security initiative – Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Limited/GTE (IDPIL/GTE), which was designed to provide funding, equipment and logistics for the local security Joint Task Force (JTF), has come to stay.
The royal fathers made the pronouncement at the launching and unveiling of the IDPIL/GTE at the Ikorodu Town Hall on Wednesday, March 9, 2022.
His Royal Majesties, Oba (Engr.) Kabior Adewale Shotobi, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba (Barr) Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo and Oba Ajibade Bakare Agoro, FCA, the Ranodu of Imota spoke on behalf of other royal fathers at the well – attended event.
Also in attendance were, His Royal Majesties, Oba Bashir Sotonwa, the Sekumade of Ipakodo, Oba (Dr) Akeem Adeoriyomi Oyebo, the Obateru of Egbin, Oba Richard Ogunsanya, the Olubeshe of Ibeshe and Oba David Kayode Balogun, the Eweye of Isiu.
The Executive Chairman, Folawiyo Group of Companies, Mr Babatunde Folawiyo who chaired the occasion, unveiled the IDPIL/GTE logo as well as commissioned the 16 patrol vehicles and 50 motorbikes purchased for the operations of the JTF.
Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Shotobi who was the first to speak among the three royal fathers, said that what culminated into the IDPIL/GTE, started at the Ikorodu Division Council of Obas and Chiefs.
Oba Shotobi described the initiative as unique and added that it was designed to encourage operations of local vigilance teams in effectively securing the Ikorodu Division.
“This is a unique idea and there has never been any security initiative in the division that is this all-encompassing and embracing with massive equipment and support”, the royal father said.
“This is a structure with trained operatives and we are going to be paying them salaries
“We have also put in place an insurance scheme for the operatives. The insurance covers four members of the family of each of the operatives”.
He said that the entire royal fathers and chiefs accepted the idea and that they are fully in support of the security architecture designed to tackle criminalities in the division.
“What we all collectively agreed upon in Ikorodu Division has materialised today. We all came together to propagate this for the advancement of the division”, Oba Shotobi said.
“I pray that the younger ones that we are putting this security architecture in place for to checkmate, will heed our warnings.
“We have been talking to them, this is another approach to deal with these young ones that are engaging in criminal activities.
“When the idea came up at the Ikorodu Division Council of Obas and Chiefs, we agreed to put in place a committee to execute the plan and when the issue of who to chair the committee came up, I suggested Odofin Adewunmi Ogunsanya and all the Obas and Chiefs accepted my suggestion”, Ayangbure explained.
Ayangbure, who is the Chairman of the Council of Obas and Chiefs in the division, also said that the organization is made up of representatives from all the communities in the division, while thanking stakeholders and residents for their support.
“Membership of different committees formed were selected from communities under the Ikorodu Division and they came up with all these ideas and procured necessary equipment that we are unveiling today”, Ayangbure said.
“I thank everybody for the cooperation and contributions”.
Oba Shotobi also used the occasion to publicly disputed the claim by the six council Chairmen in lkorodu division that they were not carried along in the establishment of the security architecture.
He also said that they sought and got the approval of the state governor.
“All the chairmen in Ikorodu Division were invited to all our programmes”, Oba Shotobi said.
“We equally went to the governor to seek his approval for the initiative and he gave us his approval and also assured us of his support”.
The monarch, however, warned the operatives against misuse of position.
“This security architecture is not meant for a particular place in the division but for its entirety. The operatives will always migrate to any trouble point to tackle any unrest”, he warned.
“We have also warned them that they must not use the platform for personal and land matters. This is a structure meant to assist the community”.
While commending IDPIL/GTE Chairman, High Adewunmi Ogunsanya, Ayangbure also announced his ongoing and future projects which are going to be executed through the body registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
“Once this is firmly established, the committee will progress to educational development”, he said.
“The committee chairman has made available 15 acres of lands on which they have started building classrooms and other facilities which are going to serve as vocational/technical school.
“The project is worth N1.2billion and he’s doing it for the division and he still has plans for the environment”.
Oba Semiudeen Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, in his brief remarks, also commended the initiative and the major financier of the security architecture.
He implored residents to comply with the law so as not to run foul of it.
He also added that royal fathers in the division are in support of the initiative.
“All the royal fathers in the division agreed and are in support of this laudable idea”, Adeboruwa declared.
He assured that the royal fathers are looking into whatever issue that might have arose in the course of establishing the IDPOL/GTE.
The Ranodu of Imota, Oba Ajibade Agoro, commended Oba Shotobi for initiating the idea that transformed into the IDPIL/GTE.
He also commended Odofin Ogunsanya for providing necessary funding for the initiative.
“There are some people that keep their monies to themselves but in his own case, he is using it to develop the Ikorodu Division”, Oba Agoro said.
Ranodu said that the security architecture is necessary because of the level of insecurity in the division.
“We are in full support of this laudable intervention”.
In what could be termed as a swipe at the opposition by the six council chairmen to the IDPIL, Ranodu said that the community will go ahead with the initiative.
“We have been hearing some rumours against this initiative in the last few days. The place of the government is separate from that of the community but we must work together”.
“We have heard the voices of those in government but we shall continue with our own initiative”, Oba Agoro declared.
The six Council Chairmen who had alleged that they were not carried along by the initiators of the IDPIL/GTE, were conspicuously absent at the historic event.
Also at the launching were traditional chiefs, market men and women and other stakeholders in the division.
