Kunle Adelabu
As part of its plan to engender developments across the Ikorodu Division, members of the I – Heroes (Ikorodu Heroes) have paid a courtesy visit on His Royal Majesty, Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo.
The meeting provided members of the socio – economic and political group the rare opportunity to engage the revered monarch on developmental issues and what royal fathers in the Division are doing about the wide range of issues affecting residents.
The group, led by its President, Mr Seun Abolaji Elesho, visited the Adeboruwa in his palace on Sunday, May 29, 2022.
“We are members of the I – Heroes which focuses on development of every aspect of the Division. As part of our resolve, we are visiting our traditional rulers and others stakeholders across the Division for the purpose of engagements and also getting their advice on the best possible ways to improve our group”, Elesho said.
“ln that regard, we are here to pay homage to you sir as one of our revered royal fathers in the Division. It is also an opportunity for us to seek your royal blessings and advice on ways to moving the Ikorodu Division forward”.
Elesho also informed the royal father about the activities of the group, which are aimed at contributing to the socio – economic and political development of Ikorodu.
“As a socio – economic and political organization, we have, over the years, been contributing to the development of Ikorodu in our own little ways. Just last Thursday, we commissioned a water project that we donated to the Mowo – Nla Primary School. It was Otunba Ganiyu Abiru that we invited to commissioned the project”, he said.
“We have also been engaging students in our various schools through mentorship and educational trainings. We have also proffered solutions and suggested ideas on how to tackle the issues on road, traffic and garages among others.
He also charged royal fathers in the Division to assist in the dichotomy that exist among different towns within the Division.
“Sir, we are also bothered about the issue of people in Ijede, Imota and Igbogbo, not seeing themselves as part of Ikorodu despite our affinities. This is an important issue that our royal fathers should help to address , so that we can speak as one united voice”, he charged.
Elesho also raised the issue of perennial traffic along the Lagos – Ikorodu road, stating that the situation is scaring many people from visiting Ikorodu and makes residents going in and out of the Division spend unnecessary hours in traffic on daily basis.
Odusanya Ibrahim, a member of I-Heroes who also spoke during the interactive session with Oba Kasali, raised the issue of ‘Ikorodu for Governor’ agenda which started in 2007 but now seems jettisoned.
“Sir, what is our royal fathers doing regarding the ‘Ikorodu for Governor’ which is being pursued since 2007 but now seems jettisoned. What are we doing about the issue now since we are no longer in the scheme of things as far as 2023 is concerned? “, he asked.
Adasaka, General Secretary, I-Heroes, called for the development of another General Hospital in Igbogbo to reduce pressure on General Hospital, Ikorodu and also upgrade the Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in Igbogbo, to adequately serve the residents.
While commending Sen. Tokunbo Abiru for his effort in creating technological space that would empower and create opportunities for young people in Ikorodu, he also called for more concerted effort in making Ikorodu Division technologically driven.
He also emphasized the need for a General Hospital in Igbogbo.
An economist, Oke OlaOluwa Godwin, in his own submission, said that there is need to maximize the enormous potentials in the Division to create employment opportunities for young residents.
To Godwin, the only way to stem insecurity is to create employment opportunities for the teeming youths in the Division.
Barr. Adeleke Bakare, who also spoke, raised concerned over the issue of ‘Ajagungbales’ in the Division and called on the royal fathers in the Division to draft the Ikorodu Division Peace Initiative Limited/GTE’s (IDPIL/GTE) Joint Local Task Force (JLTF) to go after them.
Another member of the group, Engr. Sunday Oshin who narrated his experience when he had to move his family late in the night because he had to urgently seek medical attention for his wife and child, also made case for adequate medical facilities in Igbogbo.
He also charged the royal father to make available a space for the establishment of a Federal Fire Service Station in Igbogbo.
In his royal response, Oba Kasali welcomed members of the group to his palace and commended them for their intervention in developing the Division.
He charged the group to constitute itself into a pressure group.
“I welcome you all to the Adeboruwa palace. It’s nice meeting you and I really enjoyef your conversations so far.
“The moment that all of us start to cherish life in our various individual capacities and homes and that is extended to the government, that is when we will start to get it right.
“What you are doing now is how those that had controlled and that still in charge of activities in Ikorodu Division started. They started like you because they have love for their community and the Division at large.
“Let it not be about criticisms alone, rather, we must also contribute our own quota and suggest ways forward.
“We still have so much work to do and you can use your platform to support the agitation for development in Ikorodu Division and draw the attention of the government and other bodies to the numerous issues and challenges in the division”, Oba Kasali said.
“You are more or less a pressure group”.
Oba Kasali also said that royal fathers are only using their influence and goodwill in attracting developments because there are no constitutional roles for them again.
“Before the 1963 Constitution was abrogated, there were constitutional duties but thereafter, we don’t have any constitutional power again. We are only using our influence and connections to drive developments”, the royal father said.
While reacting to the issue raised on ‘Ikorodu for Governor’ by a member of the I-Heroes, the monarch said:
“We are still on the ‘Ikorodu for Governor’ issue and not only that, the royal fathers in the Division are also concerned about placement of Ikorodu sons and daughters in other positions too”.
“The problem is that we don’t have coordination for our agitations in Ikorodu like we had with Chief B.O. Benson and that is something that we must look into”.
Commenting on the need to have a General Hospital and general improvement on medical facilities in Igbogbo, Oba Kasali said:
“We are not just sitting down in the palace doing nothing. I can tell you that work is seriously going on in the area of health facilities in Igbogbo”, Oba Kasali said.
“The Igbogbo PHC will be upgraded soon to provide more adequate health services to the residents with more spaces to accommodate more people”.
The royal father also said that work will soon start on the abandoned Federal Medical Centre (FMC) while also stating that two other PHCs are going to be established in other parts of his Kingdom soon.
Oba Kasali, commenting on the deplorable Igbogbo/Bayeku road, said:
“Work will commence soon on the rehabilitation of the road. The Governor has given his words on that. The project will start from the AUD Primary School/Odofin junction to the Odofin/Iyewa junction where it would be dualised down to Bayeku”, Adeboruwa revealed.
Also reacting to the resurgence of ‘Ajagungbale’ menace, Adeboruwa said that such should be not have a place in a society where there is law and order.
The royal father also said that the land grabbing issue will be a thing of the past if police start to do what is right.
In his royal response to issue of traffic, Oba Kasali said that royal fathers in the Division also usually receive complaints from other royal fathers from other parts of the state whenever they invited them for functions in Ikorodu.
He blamed the challenges on the military incursion that jeopardized the laudable city plans initiated by the administration of Alhaji Lateef Jakande, where transportation was a key feature.
While stating that water transportation still need to be further explored, the royal father also stated that the traffic issue will be a thing of the past if another route is created in and out of Ikorodu and more mass transit introduced in form of rail/metro.
