I am delighted to be part of this memorable and historic occasion of the official Installation and Presentation of Staff of Office and Instrument of Appointment to His Royal Majesty, Alaiyeluwa, Oba (Engr) Basiru Aremu Sotonwa, Osomeku l, as the new Sekumade of Ipakodo.
It would be recalled that the people of Ipakodo in Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area were persistent in their request for a traditional ruler after the immediate past Oba joined his ancestors years ago. The request passed through due process and the Government approved the appointment of His Royal Majesty, Alaiyeluwa, Oba (Engr) Basiru Aremu Sotonwa, Osomeku l, as the Sekumade of Ipakodo.
On behalf of the Government and people of Lagos State, I congratulate your Royal Majesty for this special honour which the people of Ipakodo Community bestow on you. It is our fervent prayer that the Almighty creator will bless your reign and guide you aright in the discharge of your Royal and Traditional duties so that Peace, Tranquility and Progress may reign supreme in your domain.
To the entire people of Ipakodo Land, all sons and daughters home and abroad, I rejoice with you on this auspicious occasion and urge you to give unalloyed support to the new monarch in order to enable him to continue to safeguard the sanctity of this sacred and highly reserved institution.
Let me remind you that the institution of traditional Obaship in our society, regardless of the advent of modernism, remains a rallying point for the generality of our people and it has been serving as a veritable vehicle for the dissemination of Government policies and programmes and for the mobilization of the populace for same. As a custodian of the culture and tradition of your people, you should be seen as a rallying point for the maintenance of communal peace and social development.
At this juncture, let me inform this gathering that the present Administration since inception had installed a total no of 18 Obas and 60 Baales across the State.
I am happy to inform you that, tomorrow I will be at another Installation, and on Sunday another Kabiyesi will be presented staff of office. I will continue to recognize the institution of Council of Obas and Chiefs.
The administration will not rest on its oars in bringing infrastructural development nearer to the people, we had completed construction of network of roads, rehabilitation of several inner roads, concrete Dual Carriage jubilee flyover at Abule Egba, Ajah, and the Ojodu-Berger flyover.
You will recall that this Administration completed the construction of 114 roads in the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs and the 2nd phase of 181 roads of 3 roads per Local Government will commence soon.
Layby were also constructed across the State so as to ease flow of traffic and these projects were completed and handed over to the residents. It is my joy to inform you that this administration had embarked on the construction of Agege Pen Cinema flyover which is the longest among other bridges constructed in the State to reduce the long hours spent on the road by the commuters due to the traffic gridlock along the axis.
To ensure that the residents enjoy dividend of democracy, part of which include, creation of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund which would assist residents by empowering them to start up their businesses especially the Small Medium Enterprise, Unveiling and commissioning of several monuments and Parks across the State some of which include: the Nerve Centre, Football Forever, the JJT (Johnson, Jakande, Tinubu) Park, Shasha Park among others.
We also performed the official Launch of light – up project with Installation of streetlights on major highways across the State. Over 100 communities were connected to the National Grid, and more than 100km of streetlights were completed at various locations in the State.
The State Government has engaged an environmental outfit called Visionscape for collection and disposal of refuse in the state and also recruited street sweepers to ensure the success of the Cleaner Lagos Initiative. Please cooperate with them and let us stop dumping of refuse on the medians, roads and blocking of drains, let us make judicious use of the service as Cleanliness is Godliness.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, this shows the present administration’s commitment to run a bottom-top approach, run all- inclusive government and use communities as springboard for social and economic development.
I therefore enjoin our Royal Fathers, Baales, traditional chiefs, Community Development Associations in our various Communities to address the menace of cultism, miscreants and hoodlums and embrace peace.
Let me appeal to our Elders, the Youths and indeed the entire residents of Ipakodo Community to guide jealously infrastructure provided by the State Government for the betterment of your community. Ensure disposal of your refuse in your respective residents. You are also implored to be more responsive to your civic responsibilities by paying your taxes as at when due. It is by so doing that the Government will be able to sustain the socio- economic growth and transformation now being witnessed in our State.
Your Royal Majesties, Obas, Chiefs and Baales, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I now have the honour and privilege to present the instrument of appointment and staff of office to His Royal Majesty, Oba (Engr) Basiru Aremu Sotonwa, Osomekul, as the new Sekumade of Ipakodo
May your reign be Peaceful, Purposeful and Progressive.
May Almighty God bestow you with wisdom, knowledge, patience and understanding to reign over your subjects and live up to the expectation of your people, the State and the Nation as a whole.
Congratulations, Kabiyesi, Ki-Ade pe lori, Ki Bata pe lese, Ase o.
I thank you all for listening.
ITESIWAJU IPINLE EKO LOJE WA LOGUN
