Vice-Chairman, Hon. SEYI JAKANDE
Within the next couple of months, the next local government elections will be taking place simultaneously across Lagos State. At Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye LCDA, all eyes will be on the man of the moment, the man every resident of the CDA is talking about, Hon. Seyi Jakande.
He is the son of the legendary former Executive governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, the man who left indelible marks on the sands of time in Lagos State. His son, Hon. Seyi Jakande, is also a politician. He is currently the vice chairman of Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye LCDA and will be vying for the position of chairmanship if he wins the APC ticket to represent the party at the polls.
The expectations within the LCDA is that Honourable Seyi Jakande, will become the party’s flag bearer at the polls and go on to win the election because, from all indications, the man is hugely loved by his people. His amiable personality and the leadership capabilities which he has demonstrated as the deputy to the current chairman, Hon. Razak Olusola Ajala, leaves no one in doubt as to his readiness to take over the mantle of leadership from his boss, Hon. Rasaq Ajala.
In this interview with the City People trio of Senior Editor, WALE LAWAL (08037209290) and GM PRODUCTION, WAHAB BASHIR and TIMOTHY FOWOMOLA, Hon. Seyi Jakande, opens up on the many significant things he and his boss have been able to do for the people of Odi- Olowo Ojuwoye LCDA in the last few years. Enjoy excerpts.
Odi-Olowo has always been known for having quality representation, which is something you also represent. What would you say is responsible for that quality representation that Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye LCDA enjoys today?
First, let me thank you for that compliment, then I will try to answer your question as best as I can. I happen to be the vice chairman. I was first elected in 2017 alongside the Executive Chairman, Honorable Razak Ajala, in 2017. Prior to that, Honorable Razak Olusola Ajala, was the pioneer Vice Chairman of this local government. And he served in the capacity of the Vice Chairman for two terms, before ascending to the position of the Chairman and I joined him on board.
And I can tell you that one of the things that have given us the credit, which makes us earn compliments like yours, is the many things we have been able to achieve and those achievements were possible as a result of some factors. One of those things is the experience the executive chairman has gathered over the years, especially, being a pioneer executive member in the position of the Vice Chairman who understands both the administrative and political terrain of the newly constituted local council development area. So, of course it was easy for him to hit the ground running from day one. And essentially, what we did as government at that time was to prioritize the continuation of what the last administration did. The completion of all the ongoing buildings. They were top priority. There was no rush. We were not in any form of rush or hurry. We started to build our own individual stuff. But it was a smooth process where the old administration continued into the new administration. And to God be the glory, we did that successfully within our first phase.
And then we moved on to all the electoral promises which were taken from the pamphlets that we shared during the election campaign. And we took the items from item one, moved to the next item, and down to the least of the items. And at the record of time, we noticed that we had exhausted all the electoral promises. We had a pamphlet that we did five giant deals in four years. But this was a season, a period, where we had the intervention of the COVID-19. It was the same season, in the same breath, we had the intervention of the Lekki Endsars, all In the same year. Within our four years, when we attempted to deliver the five giant deals, I think we were able to achieve that despite those two major incidents. We delivered more than that. I would say we were appreciated by the people of Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye by voting massively for us in 2021, for us to continue that leadership.
Quickly take us through the high points of your tenure with the outgoing chairman.
In a space, within a local government, I can rate our performance. For me, governance at that level of leadership is not stagnant in any way. You must have all levels and all departments working together. That is what we have done. When we go to health, we were able to establish more public health centers. We were able to increase the working hours of our health centers from daily to 24 hours. We also procured ambulances. We were able to do a mobile clinic where we ensure that the old and the aged are well taken care of. And that thinking came during the COVID-19, when we realized that we had so many people that were not able to physically go to the public health centers that were around them. So it was like taking those mobile clinics to them. We took those clinics to where the aged can check the physicals, vital organs, and do all the vitals almost immediately.
And we didn’t just say because we were working on the health department so the other departments were ignored, no. For the education department, we also procured brand new buses to take students from their homes or their residences, to their schools and back, taking off the responsibility of payment of transport fare from parents, helping them to save more money. We were also able to save parents money by providing more than 146 bore hole facilities, especially, in areas where people will have to pay ordinarily to buy water. We went as far as also rehabilitating all the primary schools within Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye LCDA.
In the area of road and infrastructure, that, I would say, in my own opinion, we have been very fantastic. Within the past maybe seven years, we’ve been able to rehabilitate more than 80 roads. We’ve been able to do more than 60 drainages. While at that, we have been able to set up, within our own wards, solar charging panels the people make good use of. We did all of these because we understand that this is a government that is closest to the people and when you are very close to the people, you should show a clear understanding of what their needs are and put them as top priority. So, anything that will put money back in their pocket is a priority to us. In festive periods, we ensure that everybody, one way or the other, must enjoy that moment of festivity. So what do we do?
During Christmas, every December, I think since the inception of this administration, except maybe 2018, we have made sure that we make every home, although it comes in a first come, first served basis, are able to buy chicken, turkeys and all that at highly subsidized rates. During Salah, we bring rams here and we subsidize them heavily. You know where rams that go for as much as 250,000 naira are being sold for 50,000. Last December, we sold chickens for 2,500 naira and these were chickens that were selling for 12,000 naira.
I always tell people, the most important of the body is the head. You can take out any other part of the body, you still be a living being. But when the head is off, you’re gone. So the head is very critical. Because we were under a leadership that was purposeful, that has a strong political will, that was ably led by Honorable Razaq Olusola Ajala. Really, we were able to deliver all of our campaign promises to the people owing to his vast experience in governance as the pioneer vice-chairman of this local government.
Can you also share with us some of the interventions you made in terms of offering palliatives to some of the people, especially at this time that Nigerians are grappling with economic hardship and all of that?
So, I believe that if I exhaust the entire list of all our achievements, I’m sure we won’t be leaving here today and you might not have further questions. But just to add a few to it, you know, when you talk about palliatives, I would say this is a government of palliative. I say this because in the same vein and strength, we have had market interventions where we bring in market products into the space where people are able to buy different brands like bread for 500 naira, pepper, and all of those items which are done at different times. When you talk about palliatives, this is a government that’s created a bursary for all residents.
We have given out free GCE forms, and that is also very interesting because we understand the need and the necessity for the beneficiaries to take good use of the opportunity of getting the GCE. Because, sometimes, we realize that people just take free stuff for granted. Anything that comes from the government, and they take it with levity and attach zero value to it. So what we have done is that there are free GCEs, however, there are tests to be done first. We have organized like an aptitude test where we do like, a pre-qualification which selects the most serious and eligible students that will get these benefits. We also have where we give to indigent recipients, periodically, financial assistance. You know, in the next couple of days, we should be launching a program that is tagged Odi-Olowo cash. We kind of commissioned it some months back but it’s going to be activated on the 14th of February, which is Valentine’s Day, to show the love of this government to the people.
And you see, this covers about four perspectives, where we have the aged, where we have the widowed, where we have the physically challenged. And lastly, there will be health medical insurance, for the people of this local council development area.
I’ve not finished on the palliatives. Maybe I should add that this same government, we have a financial support where we’ve been able to give to individuals and petty traders loans as much as, I think we put in that about 200 million naira, where qualified people within the local council development area, are able to get those benefits. And it’s at 0% interest for individuals and corporate organizations within the local council development area.
Let me also talk a bit on our environmental care. We have about two trucks which we use for refuse collection. They are basically for the purpose of refuse to support the PSP and the LAWMA. And for now, I can’t let the cat out of the bag, but in due time, we shall be inviting you for the big one when we have our mega launch. It’s a big project and you will surely be part of it.
