In what many have described as an unprecedented turn of events, the Annual Ikorodu Oga Day celebration will now be listed as an item in the annual budget of Ikorodu Local Government.
This cheering news was broken by the Executive Chairman of Ikorodu Local Government, Hon. Wasiu Adeshina on Thursday.
Adeshina made the disclosure while playing host to the newly inaugurated Executive Council of Ikorodu-Oga Development Association (IKODASS), under the leadership of the unassuming but indefatigable Chairman, Alh. Kolawole Fatai.
Adeshina was responding to a specific request by Kolawole, who led some members of his Executive Council to the Council Chairman to seek for a more robust and active involvement of the Council in IKODASS activities, especially during the annual community celebration.
‘To demonstrate the renewed commitment of our administration to IKODASS and her activities, I hereby direct the Council Manager to henceforth list the Ikorodu Oga Day celebration as an item in the Council’s budget’.
‘A minimum of Ten Million Naira is hereby approved as the Council’s support for the annual Ikorodu Oga Day celebration. This directive should be included in the schedule and prepared for me to sign, he directed’.
The Council boss further pledged to ensure that the fund for this year’s edition be approved for disbursement to IKODASS before the expiration of his administration.
He further promised to include the decision in his hand-over note for onward presentation to the incoming administration of the Council for record purposes and continuity.
The entire Council conference room where the meeting was held erupted in wild jubilation upon the announcement by Adeshina.
Earlier, Adeshina blamed the past leaderships of IKODASS for not giving due recognition to the local government as critical stakeholders in IKODASS, hence the reason for the Council’s posture to the IKODASS.
He lamented that, the Council was not given any slot in the IKODASS Executive Council and had been treated as outsiders rather than critical stakeholders in the running of IKODASS, noting that the Alh. Kolawole-led Executive Council would be the first Executive Council to pay him a courtesy visit after its inauguration and intimate him with his agenda, to seek for his collaboration.
He recalled that during the formative days of IKODASS in the 90s, he was a serving Councilor in the local government during the administration of Hon. Awolaru, stressing that both bodies collaborated well before the founding fathers of IKODASS integrated the Council in its administration.
‘I want to state categorically that IKODASS started during our administration under the late Awolesi as the Executive Chairman of Ikorodu Local Government. I was serving as a Councillor then. Those Excos then had a lot of respect for the local government and got our support. I remember that we had budgetary allocations for IKODASS and the Town Hall then. They got the Council’s support because they did the right thing by involving the local government and this is exactly what you have just done’, he stated.
Responding, IKODASS Chairman, Alh. Kolawole thanked Adeshina for putting the past behind him and showing readiness to work with IKODASS, going forward.
He equally assured the Council boss that his request for the inclusion of a Council representative on the IKODASS Executive Council would be addressed.
The meeting climaxed with the presentation of a Gold frame Ikorodu- Oga Anthem to the Executive Chairman with singing of the anthem by the Executive Chairman, IKODASS Members and Management Staff of the Council in attendance.
Members of IKODASS Executive Council in attendance are, the Deputy Chairman, Olola Olusegun Iluyombo, Vice Chairman, Alh. Olorunrinu Anifowoshe, Social Secretary, Tayo Ogunsanya and Welfare Officer, Azeez Oke-Matti.
They delegation also included, Kehinde Oreagba, Market Representative, Tijani Simbiat Ajoke, Executive Member, Bello Kemi, Executive Member.
Management Staff of the Council in attendance were the Secretary to the Local Government, Hon Lateef Afinnih, Council Manager and the Council Treasurer.
