Kunle Adelabu
-We have been up and doing about Igbogbo’s development – IDEA
A chieftain of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC) and former Minister of Works, Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe, has charged the Igbogbo Development Association (IDEA), the platform responsible for the social and economic development of Igbogbo Kingdom, on the need to be alive to its responsibilities in terms of facilitating developmental projects.
The elder statesman made this remark in response to his invitation to the maiden edition of the First Ibeshe Kingdom Festival by the Ibeshe Kingdom Development Association, by posting on platforms related to Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA, to challenge the IDEA on the need to do more in terms of assisting in practical development of Igbogbo.
According to the organisers in the letter of invitation which the senator also shared, the aim of the maiden festival is to promote socio -cultural cohesion, peace and business in Ibeshe.
Presentation of Ibesheland’s vision – Ibeshe Arise and scholarships are some of the programmes highlighted for the celebration.
Attached to the Senator’s invite is an information that one of the benefactors, Prince Kayode Olaide, will also be presenting scholarship award during the event.
“Distinguished Senator Sir, Prince Kayode Olaide Annual Scholarship Award in Ibeshe is to be an integral part of the annual Ibeshe Festival Celebration.
“He has requested that you attend to formalise the integration,” the statement added
In his reaction on the Ona Ogo WhatsApp platform, Sen Ogunlewe charged IDEA on the need to embark on planning for developmental projects.
“This is the result of good planning and appropriate leadership. Our IDEA has existed for over 40 years not a single project has ever been delivered. See what Ibeshe has been able to do under one year, ” he said.
Meanwhile, the General Secretary, IDEA, Engr. Lateef Oduntan, has reacted to the former Minister’s charge stating that the developmental platform has been part and parcel of so many developmental initiatives in Igbogbo.
He spoke with THE IMPACT in a phone interview on Saturday.
Engr. Oduntan said that IDEA was instrumental to the construction of the Oba Johnson Fatola Pavilion within the Adeboruwa Palace, which has been serving Igbogbo community especially during functions.
“The group is responsible for the construction of Oba Johnson Fatola Pavilion, which was constructed several years back. Today, the facility has been serving the community and also hosting several other initiatives like the Igbogbo Day Planning Committee office and the hall therein also serving several purposes.
“The truth is that the development association has been impacting and we are not moribund, rather, we keep growing stronger every year.
“The development association has supported so many other projects. The immigration office that we have today is as a result of action by the development association. Go to the immigration office, you will see the pavilion which was constructed by the Igbogbo Development Association. All the furniture there were supplied and donated by the development association.
The Secretary to IDEA also said that the group has been involved in the infrastructural development of Igbogbo across decades.
“The Igbogbo Development Association has been writing to the government in respect of the infrastructure in Igbogbo town. This road that is ongoing, that has not been completed, is part of the efforts of the development association over the years.
“Igbogbo Development Association, in collaboration with Adeborunwa -in -Council, has been able to mediate between some claimants that have been in court in respect of Lancon Land. The development association brokered a truce with the assistance of Kabiyesi, and it’s out of the settlement of that issue that they released three acres of land to the development association.
“So, it is not correct to assert that the Igbogbo Development Association has not achieved anything. As we speak, the association is at the point of even starting the town hall, which has been in the pipeline for so many years. You can’t say the development association has not achieved anything in the past 40 years”, Engr. Oduntan said.
While acknowledging the contributions of Sen. Ogunlewe to Igbogbo, Ikorodu Division, Lagos State and the country as a whole, Engr. Oduntan informed THE IMPACT that IDEA will be meeting with Sen. Ogunlewe to properly brief him on the giant strides that the development platform has made over the years and its future plans.
