Kunle Adelabu
Key stakeholders in Imota Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Ikorodu Division, Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria have stated they want a candidate that is knowledgeable, ready to listen to the people and given to positive action to be the next council chairman.
Hon. Nurudeen Solaja, former representative of Ikorodu Constituency II and Dr Abdulazeez Anjorin, a senior lecturer with the Lagos State University (LASU) who are prominent Imota indigenes stated this at the first edition of Imota LCDA Community Development Dialogue.
The dialogue which took place at the ADMOS Hotel, Imota, it was themed, “From Dialogue to Action: Shaping the Future of Imota LCDA Together”.
Five of the eight Chairmanship aspirants – Hon. Benson Sunday Ayodele, current Vice Chairman, Imota LCDA, Comrade Odumosu Rafiu Ashaka, Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC), Imota LCDA, Dr Jimi Adejo, a senior lecturer at LASU, Comrade Akomolafe Lukmon and Hon. Gbotifa Olakunle, were engaged in debate coordinated by Mr Oke Godwin Olaoluwa.
In a chat with THE IMPACT, Hon. Solaja examined the aspirants that were engaged stating that:
“While I was there, they asked them three questions and it was just one of them that really answered it, I don’t know how they are going to respond to other questions. For me I can’t pick because I am a leader.
“Generally, they are all good and they can fit into the system subject to having a good Council Manager, Council Treasurer, engineers, MoH, and advisers to make a good team that they are going to work with and also good legislative arm,” he said,
Hon. Solaja describing the kind of person that he wants as the next chairman of Ijede LCDA, said:
“I am expecting someone that is a graduate and brilliant to be the next Imota LCDA Council Chairman.
“He must be someone that is knowledgeable and not just someone that just graduated and tomorrow just wants to get into the seat. It is a very hot seat.
“You are going to deal with a set of very knowledgeable people and for you to handle such a situation, and mingle very well and achieve your aim, you must be calm and knowledgeable.”
Dr Abdulazeez Anjorin, senior lecturer, LASU, also speaking, explained the qualities of the kind of chairman that he prefers to be the next chairman of Ijede.
“We actually expect to see the best in terms of thinking, richness of mind, readiness, listening eyes and of course, as we say in the global scene, the servant leader. He may not have all of the technical know – how, but he should be willing to listen and meet with the people and have the ready to do attitude, the actionable zeal, agility and promptness required in responding to people’s requests.
“He must be on the ground to do the needful and he must be ready to meet with the people every now and then. We want to see a leader that will always be with the people and when there are challenges, he should be willing to associate with the people. That is the kind of leader that we intend to see.
“We want an action-able leader. He may not have all the technical know – how and skills but he is willing to listen and to put into action what he gains from others,” Dr Anjorin said.
Dr Anjorin also stated that Imota needed somebody that can galvanise the people into action.
“Lastly, he should be a leader who is willing to call for discussion; he should be someone that is willing to call stakeholders in different fields within the community, including those in diaspora, youth and women and others and galvanise all of their actions. If we can have a leader like that, I can tell you that Imota will be the lead community for other communities to emulate,” the scholar said.
