Kunle Adelabu
-Plan ‘Know your Heroes’ inter – school debate, water projects
President and members of the Ikorodu Heroes (I –Heroes), a socio – political and developmental organization based in Ikorodu Division, have enjoined residents of the division to take active part in the electioneering process leading to the 2023 General elections.
They charged young people in Ikorodu to fully participate in the activities of political parties as a means of ensuring that they are part of the system and help improve on the political relevance of the division by registering to have more people voting in the coming elections.
These appeals were contained in the address of the club’s President, Mr Abolaji Oluwaseun Elesho, at the 6th Annual General Meeting of the group held at the Conference Hall of the Ai – Royal Hotel, Aga, Ikorodu, on Saturday, March 19, 2022.
“This year is practically an electioneering process year. The general elections shall hold between February and March 2023, therefore, this year shall witness the better part of the electioneering process”, he said.
“As an association, we, therefore, encourage our people to ensure they are registered to vote and also collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) and ensure that we all go out to vote on election day for candidate (s) of our choice.
“Apart from voting on election day, we admonish all Ikorodu people to actively participate in the electioneering process, while enrolling for the membership of various political parties should be paramount to us”, he charged.
“If we do not play politics, politics will play with our life, especially as the highest number on the voters’ register, according to INEC, is the young people whom the decision taken by politicians would determine their future. It is, therefore, important that everyone is part of the process”, he said.
As part of the annual projects of the association, Elesho revealed that I – Heroes will be organizing an inter – college debate tagged , ‘Know Your Heroes’, adding that approval has been secured from the family of Late Olushola Babatunde Benson, SAN, as one of the figures to be considered.
“At the start of the year 2021, we set out to accomplish some projects, among which are: ‘Water a School’ project, Inter-collegiate debate, ‘Know your hero Challenge’, and visitation to our traditional leaders.
“We have sorted and gotten approval of the Benson family to make secondary school students write on the Late Babatunde Olusola Benson, SAN, as one of the ‘Know your heroes’ personalities.”
He said that the debate would have been organized since last year but for some conditions given to them by the Ministry of Education which the association is doing everything to meet this year.
The Ikorodu Heroes President also said that lack of funds has prevented the club from executing the five borehole projects in various schools, adding that the only one that has been completed would be commissioned soon.
He said that the body is doing everything to carry out the construction of other four water projects.
“Of the five borehole projects we intended to carry out, we have only been able to complete one which awaits commissioning and handing over to the benefitting school at Mowo-Kekere.
“Finance has not allowed us to go ahead with the remaining four boreholes.”
Dr Abiodun Fatai – Abatan, senior lecturer, Political Science Department, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos and Member, Governing Board, Lagos State Sports Commission, who was the guest speaker, spoke on the theme, “Education: Connecting the dots, an empowerment tool or a way or a way of life”.
The University don said that education has far reaching consequences on the persons and community that have it.
While stating that philosophy of a particular country determines its educational philosophy, Dr Abatan called for a home – grown educational philosophy from which the country can benefit immensely.
“Any country without a national education will suffer from agenda developmentalism”.
While proffering ways out of the situation, Dr Abatan advocated for a home – grown educational philosophy and the provision of conducive environment for learning and development.
This, he said, would lead to a development of a framework for the educational system and prevent recurrence of policy summersault that the country has been witnessing for decades.
While stating that youths and young people must be the direct beneficiaries of the Nigerian educational system, the political science lecturer also called for the declaration of a state of emergency in the education sector.
Dr Abatan said that education must be a priority for any serious – minded country seeking development.
“Education must be the first agenda on the table of any country that wants development, because it is through education that ideas that bring about development flow”, he said.
