Kunle Adelabu
-Dedicates award to constituents
The 2024 Ikorodu Man of the year award winner, Rep Babajimi Adegoke Benson, has stated that he agreed to accept the honor seven years after he was first offered the award because there are reasons for him to celebrate.
He also said that since he had received a similar award from THIS DAY as Representative of the year 2024, he has no reason not to honour the same honour back home in his own constituency.
He gave the explanations in his acceptance speech at the Ikorodu Man of the Year award 2025 organised by the Starlight Newspaper, at the Ikorodu Town Hall on Sunday.
The event, which was packaged by the Fanafillit Integrated Concept, also witnessed the conferment of Council Chairman Of The Year on Hon. Sulaimon Kazeem Olanrewaju, Councillor Of The Year on Hon. Matthew Arowolo, and Supervisor Of The Year on Hon. Ajibike Rukayat Salau.
Other winners were: Barr. Adeleke Aroyewun; Youth Of The Year (Male), Comrade Comfort Olafare, Youth Of The Year (Female), and General Hospital, Ikorodu (Public lnstitution Of The Year).
In the Special Recognition Award category, Hon. Abiodun Moshood Aro (AMA), representative of Ikorodu Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly, was honoured with the Outstanding Agent of Change and Development award.
Rep Benson, who is representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency for the third term and the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Defense, speaking at the award ceremony, dedicated the award to the generality of Ikorodu constituents whom he said gave him the mandate and supported him.
“Since seven years ago, Starlight (the publisher of Starlight newspaper) has been disturbing me that he wanted to give me an award but I always tell him no. What am I going to celebrate? Is it because I am in an office that I should be celebrated?
“If you notice that since then, I have not received an award. I always pray, work hard and strive to put smiles on the faces of all of you that elected me.
“But unfortunately for me, I got trapped because THIS DAY Newspaper gave me an award and you know he is a very smart guy, and when he saw that, he told me that I will have to honour his own award too since I have received that of THIS DAY.
“This award is not my award. This award is your award; this award is kabeyesis award; this award is Iyalojas award; this award is Senator Abiru’s award; this award is former Deputy Governor’s award; this award is iCare Foundation’s award; this award is for Baales and High Chiefs; this award is Folashade -Oba award, and this award is everybody’s award.
“So, you are not celebrating me, we are celebrating ourselves”, Rep. Benson said.
While stating that Ikorodu has always tended towards progressive side of politics, the honoree reinstated that despite its population and disadvantage in terms of the available polling centres, the residents recorded the highest votes for President Tinubu in the last general elections.
Rep. Benson further emphasized reasons he dedicated the award to the Ikorodu constituents.
“Anytime I go to the Villa (Presidential Villa in Abuja) to see the first family, and when they see me, they always remember the good things that Ikorodu has done for the party.
“Ikorodu has always been progressive. Ikorodu delivered the highest votes to Mr President. Are we the highest Division with population? Kano has more; Oyo has more; Kaduna has more and Katsina also has more but despite our size, we gave Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu the highest votes throughout Nigeria.
“The second local government that did the same was the Bichi local government .
“I only have one vote but you guys have more votes. It’s actually a celebration of yourself, because if you did not give us the highest votes, the dividends of democracy will not be flowing as it is.
“So, you all need to be on this stage, not me. I thank all of you. I thank your children. I thank your wives, your parents, our traditional rulers, political leaders and I thank the iCare Foundation”, the honoree said.
He asked the large crowd inside the hall if they are going to repeat the massive votes that made Ikorodu the highest votes in Nigeria in the last Presidential election, and there was thunderous response of ‘Yes’.
Rep. Benson further charged the residents: “Let’s tell everybody now, you aren’t seeing anything yet. For 2027, Ikorodu is saying that you aren’t seeing anything yet.
“When Ikorodu sneezes, Lagos will catch a cold. We are going to work harder, harder and harder. We are going to ensure that the local government chairmen that will be coming into the councils will also compliment my efforts and that of the Senator Tokunbo, Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun, Hon. Gbolahan Ogunleye and our Kabiyesis, Dr Nurudeen Agbaje and Ms Bisola Olusanya.
“We must make sure that our division takes its rightful place among other local governments in Lagos State.
“Thank you very much for our award. It is well deserved. Thank you, thank you and thank you.”
In his royal remarks, His Royal Majesty (Oba) Dr. Kabir Adewale Shotobi, the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, acknowledged the important roles of Rep. Babajimi Benson in the development of Ikorodu, and thanked the large audience for gracing the occasion.
Oba Shotobi used the occasion to reiterate his expectations in 2027, that Ikorodu must produce the next governor of Lagos State.
“The only thing that you owe me, one thing that I am demanding from you come 2027, is that it is the turn of Ikorodu to produce the next governor.
“We are not campaigning now, rather, we are talking to ourselves. Ikorodu is always leading in voting and come 2027, we will still count on your votes.
“I thank all our royal fathers, the grand Chief Imam and our people for recognizing our dear son, Babajimi Benson, for this award”.
While further acknowledging that Rep. Benson is deserving of the honour, Oba Shotobi also recommended him to the organisers of the award for the 2025 edition.
“I congratulate him for this achievement. It is a laudable one. Rome was not built in a day. It takes time before his activities and impacts were seen and collated and then honoured with this award.
“He has done it and he will continue to do it. What we should be doing is to assist him with prayers. We have not seen anything yet from him, we will still see more.
“Ikorodu Man of the year and outstanding personality award 2024, and I am still recommending that the same honor should be presented to our representative, the Otun of Ikorodu Division,” the royal father said.
Mr ‘Damola Aderibigbe, Publsher of the Starlight newspaper, speaking earlier, thanked all those that supported the award and assured the residents of Ikorodu that the award will continue next year with the eighth edition.
He stated that the award is a way of identifying and honouring those that have been contributing to the growth and development of Ikorodu division in their own ways.
“I appreciate you for coming and for identifying with the celebrants that we are celebrating today.
“Why are we celebrating these awardees? In the whole of Ikorodu Division today, and for the awardees to have been identified among the millions of people in Ikorodu as persons making a mark or who have made marks and adding values to the overall qualitative growth and development of Ikorodu Division, speaks volumes.
“So, I congratulate all the awardees and those that have come around to celebrate you. In truth, you are deserving of being celebrated. You are gentlemen and ladies that are adding value to the Ikorodu Division and making us proud.
“If you go out there, the saying is that Ikorodu is turning into a mini-Lagos and who do we give this credit to, it is you wonderful people who in your own way; has been making the difference, and for making that difference, there is every reason to acknowledge you, identify and celebrate you”, he added.
Other awardees were Community Builders Award category – Dr. Samson Bisiriyu, Patricia Okosodo, Hon. Muyideen Yusuf Olatunji and Temidayo Phillips.
Agents Of Change & Community Development Award – Comrade Rasheed Fatuga, Engr. Saliu Akinsanya, Omowale Victor Anthony and Princess Folashade Olabanji Oba.
In the Special Recognition Award category were Alhaja Shukurat Adejoke Aminu – CEO, ABITOP (Pillar of Community Development), Alhaja Mutiat Ojulari (Pillar of Community Development), Mrs. Eziwanyi Adeolu-Idowu (Proprietor, Kingsmead Schools) (Pillar of Community Development), Dr. Adéọlá Adebisi Banjọ – Pillar of Community Development, Mr. Rotimi Erogbogbo (Pillar of Community Development), and Yeye Adéọlá Orente – Pillar of Community Development.
Prince Abdullateef Adedayo Abayomi Ladega was awarded the Distinguished Young Leader Award category, while Hon. Ìdòwú Alli, was presented with the Emerging Leader Award.
Other traditional rulers and dignitaries at the award were HRM Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, HRM Oba Bashir Sotonwa , the Sekumade of Ipakodo, Shaykh Alhaji Sefiudeen Olowo-Oribi , the Grand Chief Imam Ikorodu Division, Mrs Jumoke Benson, wife of the honoree, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, former Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Sir (Otunba) Ayodele Elesho, the Agbaakin of Ikorodu Kingdom, Builder Sesan Daini, Chairman, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Otunba Bayo Lawson, Chairman, APC Ikorodu West LGA, Mayor Muhydeen Sanwoola, Executive Assistant to the Governor on Park Management, Comrade Lekan Biliamin -Oba, SSA to the Governor on Social Development, Barr. Saheed Shillings, former Chairman, NBA, Ikorodu, Hon. Jessica Oba, Council Leader, Ikorodu West LCDA, Mr Yinka Majekodunmi, Chairmanship aspirant, Ikorodu Local Government, Hameed Olalekan Aroyewun (HOA), Chairmanship aspirant for Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA, Gbenga Oduniyi, former President, Igbogbo Youth Coalition and Mr Seun Elesho, member, BOT, Ikorodu Youth Initiative among others.
