Kunle Adelabu
-Commend Rep. Benson for interventions
The lamentations of the people of Ikorodu Division of Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, over the deplorable state of their roads and alleged total neglect by the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has continued to intensify as residents called out leaders to present their plights to the governor.
The latest outburst was due to what residents are experiencing in recent time over the deplorable state of roads, which has made residents in various parts of the division, to send ‘save our souls’ to the governor, though, these have not yielded positive response yet.
However, this lack of desired reactions fro the government, has increased the number of protest letters and comments in various forms, especially on the social media, to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Olushola Sanwo – Olu, on their plights.
From Ikorodu to Ebute-Ipakodo, Igbogbo, Bayeku, Offin, Oreta, Selewu Igbe, Gintin, Gberigberi, Agura, Ijede, Lambo Lasunwo, Odogunyan, Mowo Nla, Odo – Nla, Ita Oluwo, Agbede, Ishawo and Agric among many other areas of Ikorodu Division, it is same cry over deplorable roads and neglect.
This situation has led to a marathon discourse on THE IMPACT WhatsApp platform in the past few days, with residents stating that Ikorodu deserves more than it is getting from the government, going by its contributions to the re – election of the governor.
Bayode Treasurer Olawunmi, a public commentator, raising the matter, charged traditional and political leaders not to relent in demanding for good treatment and infrastructural development for Ikorodu.
“Are all our leaders in Ikorodu n sun (sleeping)? Is this you’ll be looking at the state of things, Asiwaju Basorun, Baba Ogunleye, Senator Ogunlewe and others? What efforts are you all making to get the attention of LASG to Ikorodu? Do you intend your people to resign to their fate? What are you doing? Fight for the cause of the collective instead of personal fulfillment. Your people need you at this hour. Tell the truth to the governor. He promised Ikorodu, and we need him now. ‘E ma je kan tun je wa ma ye’ (don’t allow them to further marginalize us) like the last term ooooo”, Bayode lamented.
“Posterity will judge us all. ‘Ba wi, a ma ku, bi a ko si wi naa, a rorun’ oooooo (we will one day die, either we speak our mind or not)”.
He singled out the member representing the Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Rep. Babajimi Benson, for commendation for facilitating the infrastructural renewal that the division is enjoying.
“I wonder what Ikorodu would look like now if @Rep JB, has not fixed some of the roads across the Ikorodu metropolis? Thank you JB, your light will not go off in the name of Christ Jesus”, he said.
“Meanwhile, sir, I know it’s a very busy time for you and your colleagues presently, but Ikorodu needs you to put across a magic call to Mr Governor. He needs to know the plight your people are going through. You can’t fix it all, and there’s a constitutional limit to what you can do about roads.
“So, please sir, call, call, call and please, call the governor to let him know our predicaments in Ikorodu division”, he appealed.
Another public commentator, Oluwadiasporas, said that the division deserves more than it is getting from the state government in the last eight years, adding that the division should consider going with the opposition party.
“Ikorodu Division deserves more than this. For 8 straight years, the Ikorodu division cannot boast of something credible from the state government, despite the fact that Ikorodu has always supported the ruling party, fully”, he said.
“Would Ikorodu division get better attention if they were to play opposition politics? In the psalm of our fathers, a man who walks with a rich man and still hungry, will definitely not die of hunger if he stops walking with the rich man”.
Oke Godwin Olaoluwa, General Secretary, Ikorodu Economic Council and Co – Coordinator, Concerned Ikorodu Division Youth (CIDY), said that the decadence in the divisional infrastructure will have serious negative impacts on the socio – economic development of Ikorodu, if not quickly addressed.
“Infrastructure decay coupled with poor representation in this government, will drag us back many years”.
Deacon Monday Ohi Obadan, who is also a prominent social commentator in Ikorodu, queried the ground on which the traditional and political leaders in Ikorodu, negotiated votes in the last elections with the various parties, especially the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party in power.
“On what grounds did the aegis of Ikorodu political leaders, traditional institution and critical stakeholders negotiated with the major political parties, especially the ruling APC, and (is it) well documented?”, he asked.
On his own, Henry Gbenga called for unity of purpose among political leaders and residents in agitating for better position from the government, instead of party affiliation.
He warned that residents are angry and may take their anger out on the coming local government elections.
“We do go to other parts of Lagos and see what’s being done there. Whenever we come home to ikorodu, and see things being as they’ve always been, it breaks my heart”, he said.
“We deserve better, and I believe we can get a lot done IF ONLY we can speak in one voice. Party affiliations and promises of this or that, I think is playing a role in this deafening silence by most stakeholders. God won’t help us if we don’t fight this head on.
“The people are angry. There’s a local government election in 2025. Party politics might not work this time if these people don’t do the right thing in due time”, he warned.
Soyiga Samuel, President emeritus, National Association of Ikorodu Division Students (NAIDS), blamed the chairman and other leaders for the deplorable state of infrastructures in Igbogbo.
“There are videos of bad roads from Igbogbo LCDA, in my dm. If the chairman cannot do them, he can rally political leaders and lobby the state government, but as it is, it looks more like the people of Igbogbo do not care. No one from that end is concerned”, he said while expressing his anger.
Alhaja FAT Olanrewaju, a community developer, also contributing, said that the pursuit of political appointments by leaders is preventing leaders in Ikorodu from demanding quick intervention in the infrastructural decadence that Ikorodu has been facing which has recently degenerated.
“None of the leaders can answer your call now because one way or the other, they are looking for either ministerial or Commissionership appointment and as a result, cannot have any face-off with either the Federal or State Government. E je ka ni suru ki list jade o, e go better (we should allow the ministerial and the commissionership list to be released. May be, they will start speaking on our behalf)”, she said.
A retired director with the state government, Prince Kunle Ogunleye blamed complacency on the side of the people on the situation, while also pleading for patience from them.
“All the efforts and support of the youths for the ruling party in the State, will soon be rewarded. We have been told to remain calm because better days will soon come. Those who laugh last, laugh best. We should not be strangers to political promises”, he said.
“It was the same in the days of our parents and so it is in our days, and we pray it will not be the same in the days of our children. We have known these things before, but we will always choose promises over logic.
“The consequences are more hope for the future. Since we chose to be complacent and be hopeful, and allow the leaders and their associates to treat the country as their personal properties because some of us could get the crumbs and left-overs from the dining tables as privileged citizens over those who could not get near the dining table.
“We chose to be led with tribal and religious sentiments, rather than logical reasoning. We have no one to blame but ourselves, and certainly not the leaders but the led. The hardship will soon end. Be patient”.
The Coordinator, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Comrade Abubakri Asoro, while appreciating the state government for speeding up the construction work on Agric – Owutu road, urged the governor to ensure that other parts of the division in dire need of attention, are attended to.
He also commended the federal lawmaker, Hon. Babajimi Benson, while he also urged him not to relent.
“I remember him saying the Governor (Sanwo – Olu) used to call him ‘Mr Ikorodu’, because he’s always talking to the Governor not to forget us here”, he said.
“We appreciate the improvement and speedy pace of work now on Agric-Ishawo road, for other areas, Koni su @Rep JB, koni re Governor (Rep. Benson will not be tired, so also the governor).
“Make them help us, so that people will stop referring to us as villagers, because of the state of our roads. We have paid our price during the election, it is payback time”.
Another social critic and public commentator, Lekan Durojaiye, also commended the two federal lawmakers from Ikorodu, especially Rep. Benson, for his intervention on road and other infrastructural developments that Ikorodu has been experiencing.
“@Rep JB, remains the best all around. He practically opened up numerous roads that were hitherto abandoned. A case study is that of the Eyita access road. Come to Ajose in Ibeshe… Talk about Igbe road as well… . There are some of these projects scattered all around and yet, he’s not just resting, but still listening and working to change the face of Ikorodu”, he lauded the federal lawmaker.
“Let’s continue to pray for him. His giant strides are quite touching and for real, his followership base cuts across party lines. If not for #JB, #ToksAbiru and a few others, Ikorodu would have been in the dark”.
He charged other elected officials and leaders to also start working for the people.
“Most of these ‘selected’ political office holders MUST wake up and start working for the people. It is not just about amassing stuff for personal benefits, but to also help the people. Ikorodu must start sourcing for very committed and passionate people that are just keen for service delivery instead of baseless grandstanding. Most of these guys are just players dancing to the gallery every time. They make noise over wacky projects they do. Some of them ‘waste’ money on projects that do not last. There are so many projects embarked upon by some of these guys that do not even last up to a year and sadly, such are always re- awarded”, he said.
“In a saner clime, without playing our usual politics of hailing, these guys and the contractors that handled some of these projects should be guests of the EFCC. It is wrong playing politics with sensitive projects by awarding them to quacks”,
Meanwhile, a political leader who spoke with THE IMPACT, said that both the traditional and political leaders in the division, have been doing everything to let the governor and necessary arms of the government know about the state of infrastructures in Ikorodu.
He said that construction has resumed on Agric – Ishawo road in Ikorodu West LCDA, adding that the Sekumade road has also been completed and commissioned.
The leader, who said that strong representations have been sent to the governor by the political and traditional leaders, assured residents that the situation concerning roads would change as soon as the rainy season ends, and a new cabinet constituted.
