Kunle Adelabu & Bolu Oresajo (SIWES Student)
-As FG moves to begin construction
The Federal Government through the Office of the Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Sustainable Development Goals has moved into the donated property of Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Basorun, a chieftain of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), in Igbogbo, to begin the construction of a Primary Health Centre (PHC).
The property which used to host Romo Nigeria Limited, a private business of the elder statesman, producing polythene bags stopped operation four years ago due to importation of the items being produced.
As at Wednesday, October 30 the roof of the property has been removed in preparation for demolition and commencement of construction.
Asiwaju Basorun informed THE IMPACT that the PHC construction in Igbogbo was his 85th birthday request from Her Excellence, Hon. Adefulire Orelope, the Special Assistant on Sustainable Development Goals to President Bola Tinubu.
The elder statesman who was a former Secretary to the Lagos State Government, also informed that the land on which ROMO was established was given to him by his family as a result of his activities within the family and in the community, while speaking to THE IMPACT in his home country office in Igbogbo.
THE IMPACT gathered that the contractor handling the project came for the first time since the SSA assured the elder statesman of the project.
“You know that last October, I was 85 and I did thanksgiving service in the Church and Orelope Adefulire, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs was invited but she sent an apology because she was unable to make it.
“After that she decided to come and see me and congratulated me on my birthday. I had known her since 1992, through her daddy, of blessed memory. When Bola (President Bola Tinubu) was going to the Senate, her daddy played a very prominent role. It was the relationship that extended to the daughter.
“So, she is not new to me and the relationship made her visit me since she was unable to attend my birthday thanksgiving. It was during her visit that I asked her to give me a hospital since her office has been facilitating that to many areas.
“In her response, she said that it will not be a hospital but a primary health centre and I responded that would be acceptable and she told me that I would have it.
“Aftermath of my acceptance of the PHC, she told me to apply and I did. She also said that I should get our local government to undertake to provide the staff. I later called the Chairman to tell him and he wrote to that effect and also thanked her for the opportunity and assured her that the council is ready to provide the staff.”
The former banker, told our reporters that since the application, he did not hear anything again from the SSA until last week’s Thursday, when he was called for inspection and subsequent commencement of construction.
“Since then, I did not hear anything again until last week Thursday, when somebody called me that he would be coming to the site to inspect it for the PHC and I said that this woman has done it o!
“When the man arrived, he said that he would leave his car here and that he would like to walk to the site to familiarize himself with the road. I later joined them there and he told me that they are starting soon because the site is acceptable.
“In the letter that I wrote to them, I had indicated that I will be providing a site of about 2033 square meters and I attached the survey plan.
“On that Thursday, they said that the place was satisfactory and on Monday, they told me that they were moving into the site and so they came and like a joke, they removed the roof and also started demolishing.
“That is the story and I am very grateful to God. I facilitated the project but the council collaborated. What are we looking for but to achieve the project? It is not a mini – hospital and whatever it is, let’s have it first before we can start naming it whatever that we want to,” Asiwaju Basorun said.
When asked about what informed the donation of the property in a choice area for the public use, Asiwaju Basorun he considered many things and decided that it is best to use for the service of humanity.
“Several things informed the donation. That land was given to me in 1953. The land belongs to Odusegun family of Igbogbo, of which I was the Secretary until about three years ago. I have been the Secretary of the family since 1975. That family also gave me this place (where he built his country home in Igbogbo).
“The chairman of the family gave it to me when I was taking up the mantle of the Secretary not to be too far away a from the family and I accepted it and pledged that I was ready to serve. Thereafter, It was an appeal from me in 1983, that the family would give me another land to be used for my business after leaving the government. That was why they gave me the land he used it for his private company but later donated it for the construction of a PHC) in that location.
“I am a member of the family through my mother and I pleaded that the family should give my mother’s share of the land besides my own and the family obliged which I shared with my only sister.
“I have been on the land since 1983 and I secured a document from the family that was it donated to me and I still have the document which I added to the survey plan sent to the SDGs Office for the PHC. So, that was how I came about the land.
“In 1984 after the military coup, I started Romo to produce polythene bags. I have been in that place for exactly 40 years – 36 active years and four inactive.
“I now asked that for how long will the inactivity go on? What am I going to leave for this community, where I was born Saturday, 15 October, 1938?
“I have been living here and I am now 80 years and above, I decided to do something more that would benefit the community. So, donating the property is continuation of efforts to develop Igbogbo.
“I decided that something must happen and when this woman (Hon. Orelope) came, I decided that it was appropriate to ask her and God guided me. I am very happy that I have taken that decision”, the elder statesman said.
Commenting on the development, Hameed Olalekan Aroyewun (HOA) who visited the site when our reporters were on the ground described the elder statesman’s gesture as an exceptional sacrifice that would benefit the larger community.
“This is an exceptional sacrifice for the benefit of the common man, sincerely it’s rare. This can only be done by the man of God and the person who loves his people and community beyond measure.
“Anyone who is familiar with the environment will appreciate Baba more with the value of that property. Baba Bashorun has been making sacrifices for Igbogbo in the last 5 decades and beyond.
“It’s my prayers to the Almighty to keep Baba alive and healhty when the project will be commissioned so that we can praise God together for His special mercy on Baba.
“Baba Aladura, we are immensely grateful to you, Amo loree”, he said.
