Experts and key economic stakeholders have decried the state of Ikorodu’s enormous untapped natural resources. The panelists who were unanimous in their positions made this known in their presentations at the 1st Ikorodu Economic Summit held on Thursday, 22nd February, 2018.
Some of those who made presentations at the summit decried the untapped state of the division’s God endowed natural resources for the development and benefit of the people.
Prof Tajudeen Bawa Allah, Former Dean, School of Transport, Lagos State University (LASU) revealed that Ikorodu division has the longest shoreline in Nigeria, thereby positioning it as the hub of water transportation in the country. He likened the potential economic benefits of the Ikorodu shoreline to that of Florida in the US.
Also, in his own presentation, Prince Abiola Kosoko, CEO, Origin Garden & Zoo exposed the massive tourism potentials of Ikorodu division, disclosing that the division is host to the largest single Island, christened ‘Aginju Eko’, where there are different kinds of wild animals. He added that this singular Island among other tourist attraction centres are capable of birthing Africa’s largest wild life park in Ikorodu, with attendant economic benefits to the division.
Speaking in the same vein, Dr Timothy Aboiodun Okeowo, a lecturer at the Lagos State Polytechnic and farmer berated a situation where Ikorodu division once prided as the hub of cassava, kolanut and cashew production in the entire South-West is gradually losing its agricultural potentials. He stressed that, with strategic investment in agriculture by the division, other cottage industries in the agriculture value chain will also spring up, thereby providing massive business and employment opportunities for the division.
Another panelist, Seun Onigbinde, Co-Founder, BudgIt, a research based budget monitoring firm also charged Ikorodu division stakeholders to seek relevant information in order to monitor budgetary allocations to the division, with a view to ensuring judicious use of the same for the development of the division. He also challenged the stakeholders on the need to tap into the current wave of technological boom to provide employment opportunities to Ikorodu division’s army of unemployed youth, through the setting up of Tech Hubs in the division.
Other speakers like Dr Kemi Ajiboye, CEO Crystal Shine Ventures Ltd also charged stakeholders at the summit to explore foreign and local grants in order to drive the development of the division. She cited the Tony Elumelu Foundation grant as a platform through which Ikorodu division’s development initiatives could be driven, at no cost to the community.
The summit was raced by political bigwigs across Ikorodu division; Hon Babajimi Benson, representing Ikorodu federal constituency at the House of Reps, Hon S.O.B Agunbiade and Majority leader, Lagos state house of assembly and Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, Honourable Commissioner for Physical Planning and Development.
Also in attendance were Hon Sesan Daini and Princess Jumoke Ademeyin-Jimbo of Igbogbo-Baiyeku and Ikorodu West LCDAs respectively, while Princess Folashade Olabanji Oba, Vice Chairman, Ikorodu Local Government represented the Chairman, Hon Wasiu Adeshina.
Others in attendance were the Adeboruwa of Igbogbo, Oba Semiu Orimadegun Kasali, Oba Akeem Adeoriyomi Oyebo, Obateru of Egbin Kingdom and Oba Richard Ogunsanya, Olubeshe of Ibeshe among other distinguished guests.