Nigerians Should Be Patient With Tinubu –Hon. Ayodele Akande FCA
Elder (Hon) Ayodele Akande FCA, is the immediate Chairman, Akoko North West Local Government, area of Ondo State. He spoke with Ayodele Ologunola about his achievements during his tenure as the local government boss and other national issues. Excerpts
Can you let us know some of the achievements recorded when you were at the helm of the affairs of the council?
Within the period I was there as the local government chairman, I thank God from day one and to the last day in the office. The local government knows peace, as we can bring together the various stakeholders in the local council. Before I came on board, we had factional political leaders.
But I wanted to thank the traditional rulers for their cooperation and the peaceful coexistence among them. In the entire Ondo State, it is my local council that has the largest number of Obas. We have about 27 Kings in the council with different dialects. With diversity in dialects and yet, they are united together as the same people in the local government.
At the council level, we were able to bring all the workers together. Before coming on board, workers morale was low. For more than one year before I came to the office, there has been no electricity in the council. No conducive atmosphere to work, but we tried our best to address that by paying the outstanding bills that we met on ground. The dilapidated building and the canteen that was burnt down were brought back. We got back the morale of the staffers so that they can work with all their hearts.
Outside that, we attended to the problem of the council, i mean the personnel. The NULGE, the Senior Staff and the junior staffers together with all the facilities that we have, we brought them together.
Thereafter, we agreed on what we can do to project the image of the council. We decided to put together a project called “Economic Summit ” to mark the 30th anniversary of the creation of the local government. We called the programme “Ambush Marketing”.
We used it to promote the image of the council to the outside world and to know the mineral resources that are available in the local government.
Both the economic summit and the 30th anniversary of the creation of the council were done where resource personnel were invited to deliver lectures and to train our people in the vocational job. Youths, elders, and everyone in the council participated in the program.
After the success of the program, we started to work on the blueprint. As of now, people have started calling us on what can they do. We tried to let our sons and daughters in diaspora know what we were doing in the council. So that, they can come back home to invest. I thank God we have harmful of them coming back home.
We also have some physical projects that we laid our hands on. But before that, I have to go to the traditional institutions. When I came on board, we had a lot of communities quarreling over the issue of Obaship in their communities. We have more than seven communities with obaship tussle. But with the support of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and by the free hand given to us by Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu SAN, CON, he listened to our requests and as of today, so many of these vacancies have been filled. We have filled up to seven vacancies of vacant obaship stool. Most of these communities were at peace among themselves. Nothing we can compare with peace. When we have peace among ourselves, progress will come.
In the area of security, as we all know the issue of insecurity is all over the country which Ondo State is not exempted, we engaged the services of each community, vigilantes, and security agency with the help of our governor by creating the Amotekun Corps with others paramilitary agencies.
Our local government boarding with Ekiti, Kogi, and Edo States, all these areas were very porous. By the time these criminals come from these neighboring states and committed their crimes in our council area, in an attempt to pursue them, they escaped to their state. When we reported to the security agencies, they would tell us that they didn’t have the mandate to their territories. We put our heads together and had a meeting with all other security agencies, traditional rulers, community leaders, youths, etc, from there we were able to provide solutions to the problems. We have vigilantes for each community. Even though, we don’t have sufficient funds because security is capital-intensive. With the support of our people within and outside, they came to our aid. As of today, the issues of crime has drastically reduced in the council area. Today, Akoko North West Local Government is a safe haven for everyone to come and do their business.
In the area of infrastructural development, with the help of my governor and our son, Hon Bunmi Tunji-Ojo who represented us at the Federal House of Representatives, he facilitated a lot of road projects to his Federal constituency. A lot of projects were done. The council on their own did some projects by constructing bridges, culverts, and road. We sunk boreholes per ward. We tried our best in the area of the health sector. It’s the local government that funded the activities of health care to make sure that their salary is paid as at when due with the help of Mr. Governor. Whatever program they are doing, we tried to identify with them.
Through the LGAs, the salaries of primary teachers were being paid. You can agree with me that over 85 percent of monthly allocations are being used to pay workers’ salaries and pensioners. Based on the resolution with the state governor, workers, and pensioners’ salary is the first priority. By the time they remove these funds, allocation becomes little. It is from these little funds that remain that we used for the Obas, run the council, and, for the infrastructural development.
At this junction, I want to thank the people of Akoko North West Local Government for their maximum support, especially the traditional rulers, leaders, women, youths, students, and my colleagues. They supported me and let me know the understanding of the day. I have every cause to thank God for all these achievements recorded.
What have been the benefits of the economic summit the local government held in the year 2021?
Some of the benefits of the economic summit are in two fold. Some are in trenches while some can be seen. Some are within and some are outside. As I said before, we combined two things together. We marked the 30th anniversary of the council and at the same time promoting the image of the local government to the outside world. To let them know that in our local government, we have different types of mineral resources they can tap into. So, investors can come and invest in any of these resources they have an interest in. By coming to invest in the council, they are going to help us to create employment for our youth.
No external people will come and help us. It’s only me and you. God knows the reason I was born in Okeagbe while others were born in other communities.
After the summit, our sons and daughters came back home to establish industry in some of the towns in the local government. Those who were outside for years came back home and encouraged the youth by giving them training on what to do to have a better life.
Our former minister, Mr Tokunbo Kayode helped us tremendously to organise the summit. He gave us some personnel and at the same time gave us the clip on what we could do. So, anyone who comes after me must implement the blueprint. Everything is there for follow-up.
With all that you have said, there are some challenges. What are the challenges you faced then?
If you want to eat a yoke of an egg, you don’t look at breaking the shell. You have to break the shell before you eat the yoke. They’re a lot of challenges in life. As far as the developmental program is concerned in the local government, state, and federal governments, our local government can not be an exception. We thank God that we can do our best.
How can you access the present government of Bola Tinubu in the last three months?
Concerning President Bola Tinubu’s administration, I don’t have any doubts in my mind because I have been his core follower as far back as 1999. We see the wonders he did in Lagos. Anybody who was in Lagos before 1999 and compared it to what happened after 1999, when Tinubu was the governor of Lagos State will able to write much about his ability. I was to believe that President Tinubu was God sent. I believe in his ability, in his initiative. I also believe in his intellect. When he was in the private sector, those who worked with him were still alive to talk about his prudence ingenuity. The one I can talk about is the one I witnessed when I was in Lagos. They were a project I was doing with the Lagos State government when he came on board and with other projects he has done today. He can discover people. His ability to discover ideas is enormous. He is a purposeful leader and I don’t doubt in my mind that within the three months of his tenure, he had tried. He is just laying the foundation of a new Nigeria.
When he talked of a master plan for Lagos State, people were not patient with him. After a year and the result of this master plan started to roll out, it was then people started to praise him.
I want to appeal to the people of Nigeria to be patient with him. He’s trying to lay the foundation. When you’re laying the foundation of a building, it’s not going to be easy. A lot of problems will come up but with patience with the present administration, good things will come out of it.
How would you see the caliber of people that were in his cabinet?
That is another strength of Mr President. Before he picked anybody to handle some areas, he must have seen one or two qualities in that individual. I believe he has given them a template and know the type of person that’s going to work with him. He must have gone through their profile and Profile don’t lie. So the people he has chosen are going to deliver.
One of our sons was appointed as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. What is your word of advice for him?
Yes, it’s our son. We can call him ” Omoluabi “, Ogidi Omo is Hon. Bunmi Tunji-Ojo. Nobody gave him any benefit of the doubt when he was elected into the Federal House of Representatives in 2019. But we knew that he was a God-given child. When he started during the 9th assembly, he tried to mobilize people from his Federal constituency. He knew that the job of making law was not easy, he concentrated much on his people. Instead for him to come to his constituency every weekend to throw a party, he started to defend the future of his people. He encouraged his people to come and visit him in Abuja. He was responsible for all their needs. And when they were going back home, they would not go home empty-handed.
When he was doing this, he was being criticized by some of us. Not knowing fully well that God has given him the theoretical idea and wisdom to address his people. We can see all the projects he was able to facilitate for his Federal constituency. His relationship with traditional rulers, the youths, elders, Iyalaje’s- Iyakoja’s, and the students were superb.
For us, it seems that nobody had gone to the national assembly before. The shoes that he now left behind, before anyone can match them or put on the shoes would be very difficult.
Now as a federal minister, we all believe that he is going to perform very well. What we are doing now is to pray for him to succeed.
What do you see to the strike always been embarked upon by the NLC, since this government came on board?
The advice I wanted to give to our labour leaders is to take it easy. They should know that things are not rosy as at present in the country. Everyone is passing through a challenge, even the workers. Their wages can not take them home again. Also, those that don’t earn a salary go to the market. We are all facing the same problem. Like I said before, we have a new administration which is just three months in power. The labour leaders should please sheath their swords. It’s not every time we are going to say, there must be a strike. They should sit down with Mr. President representative’s and negotiate, I have the believe that Mr. President will not disappoint them. The strike will not add value to the economy of the country, rather it’s going to devalue us more.
In Ondo State, for instance, the relationship between our governor and the Labour leaders, especially the NULGE president is very cordial. When the monthly allocation comes, everything would be put on the table on how to distribute it to each side. I implore the Labour leaders not to allow external forces to use them against the government. The interest of the country must be in their minds. They should let us join hands together to move the country forward.
The time table for the 2024 governorship election in Ondo State has just been released by the INEC. What type of leader do you envisage for the state?
Yes, INEC released the election time table for the 2024 governorship election in Ondo State in compliance with the electoral act and the constitution of Nigeria 360 days before the election. So they have to comply with the act. To us in Ondo State, we thank God for the type of governor that we have, in the person of governor Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. SAN, CON. He is a practical person and Mr talk and do. I believe that some of the leaders are warming up to come and contest. We need to take a queue from that. What you can not do, don’t say it. What you can do, tell them. Although some people don’t want to hear the truth, Akeredolu will tell you the truth. We expect people who are going to be transparent in their activities. We don’t need a leader who has no in their mind but says yes. It must be the person that has the interest of everyone’s in the state at heart.
Politicians were not tired. What are your next plans for the future?
Since I completed my tenure as the executive chairman of Akoko North West Local Government area of Ondo State, I do not have any plans for now. As you know , we have three tiers of government, and I have served at the grassroots level.
I told my people then that, I would like to start from the grassroots. I have tasted the lives at the local government level. It’s for me now to have the experience of the remaining two tiers of government, which are the state and the national level. But one thing that is paramount to me is good health. I am praying to God to grant me good health. My future is in the hands of God.
As the governorship election is around the corner in Ondo State, what is your word of advice for our politicians and Ondo State people?
My advice for the people of Ondo State is to shine their eyes. We’re all political animals. In your house, you are doing politics. Don’t say that you are not a politician. We should be our brother’s keeper. Let us work together in unity. No peace in disunity. I know that it’s God that enthroned. There is only one person who will occupy the seat of governor in the state. It’s turn by turn and if God has destiny you to be there, you will be there. Don’t go one mile. Don’t destroy another person because of your ambition. Let us have a decorum and do a politics of forwardness.
