A Lagos monarch and Olu of Iwa and Apapa Kingdom, Oba Moroof Amodu Tijani-Oluwa, has advised all the chairmanship aspirants in the forthcoming local government election in Lagos State, especially in Ajeromi-ifelodun Local Government area to pursue their ambition without resulting to any violence.
He also urged their respective supporters to conduct themselves according to the dictates of the law of the land.
The monarch advised in his remark at the empowerment programme organised by the Oluwa Noheem Agbolade Foundation (ONAF) where no fewer than 200 small businessmen and women including artisans from across the Ajeromi-ifelodun Local Government area were supported with N50,000 each to invest in their businesses.
In addition to many party stalwarts from the local government area in attendance at the forum held at the council’s secretariat were three leading chairmanship aspirants in the local government area on the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC).
They include the organiser of the event, Oluwa Noheem Agbolade; Olawale Ariyo Megida and Olamilekan Olu Akindipe.
According to the monarch, “It is only God who has the supreme power to anoint somebody to be a leader including king and He does so as He pleases Him.
“I too didn’t know I would become an Oba but God found me worthy to be and has been supporting me all along to do the right thing.
“So, you are all expected to play partisan politics without bitterness. You are all qualified and competent for the position, but it is only one of you who will be on the seat at a time. So, there should not be a fight.
“The only prayer we should all be praying unto God is for the best that will perform better than the incumbent chairman to emerge among you.
“We all know that our current chairman, Hon Fatai Adekunle Ayoola, has done so much for the people of the local government. He has taken the Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government from nowhere to the limelight within the period he assumed office. And we have also been told that the elections will now be held across the 20 local governments and the 37 LCDAs across the state and not only in 20 LGAs as we were told earlier. The party leadership has spoken, and it is in the news this morning.
“So, whoever will succeed the incumbent chairman must be grounded and well prepared in order to surpass his performance in office.
“That is why I want you all to see your race to the chairmanship seat as not a do- or- die affair.
“The only thing is that others should prepare to support and cooperate with whosoever that God chooses among you and jointly work for the betterment of the people of Ajeromi- Ifelodun.”
While commending the organizer of the empowerment scheme, Oluwa Noheem Agbolade Foundation and its founder\CEO, Oluwa Noheem Agbolade, for impacting the people of the local government by supporting their businesses with N50,000 cash each, the monarch described the gesture as a great investment capable of fostering economic development and sustainability in the local government area and the Lagos State by extension.
He urged the beneficiaries to ensure they invest their money strictly for intended purposes, saying “N50,000 would go a long way to grow your businesses if you utilize it well.”
Earlier, in his welcome address, the founder and CEO of ONAF, a non-governmental organization, Oluwa Noheem Agbolade, said he instituted the foundation as a legacy to impact the people of the local government, especially the less privileged and vulnerable in the community
He said that was why the 200 beneficiaries were picked randomly across the local government area without considering their political, religious or ethnic affiliations.
According to him, our concern as a foundation is that beneficiaries should see the empowerment as more than a financial gesture but a clarion call for self-reliance and innovation as we believe that when small businesses including artisanship which are the backbone of our local economy are well nurtured, it holds the potential to reposition Ajeromi-Ifelodun LG as a hub of entrepreneurial excellence for Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
“So, as an aspirant for the chairmanship of this local government in the forthcoming council polls, I promise to work tirelessly to open up Ajeromi-Ifelodun LGA to the world as the economic powerhouse for the country,” he stressed.
During a lecture at the event on the topic “Hope in action: Uplifting community through empowerment,” Mr Tunbosun Ogundare, an Assistant Editor with Nigerian Tribune, emphasised that the best way to lift the less privileged and vulnerable out of poverty is not to feed them but empower them to create wealth and be financially independent.
He urged the empowerment beneficiaries to make good use of their money by investing it in their businesses and be committed to growing them and boosting the economy of Lagos State.
He said even though only 200 individuals are direct beneficiaries of the gesture, the effect of it if well utilised would rub off on thousands of others and also reduce crime and criminalities in the society.
Expressing their gratitude to the foundation for the initiative, the beneficiaries described the support as a lifeline for struggling businesses.
One of them, Mrs Mope Sakirat, a petty trader, said she did not believe initially when she was asked to apply for the support as she didn’t know anybody that could influence her application positively.
“But I did so reluctantly, making me surprised when I learned that my application was successful and today, I have received a sum of N50,000 to put into my business,” she said, promising to invest the money judiciously.
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