Oba Shotobi praises leadership, promises Ikorodu people’s support for the party
Ikorodu monarch, His Royal Majesty Oba Kabiru Shotobi, on Wednesday July 27, 2016, hosted the leadership of All Progressives Party (APC) in Lagos State at his official palace in what was the first of such visit by a political party to the King’s palace.
Oba Shotobi who expressed joy at hosting the executives of the party led by their chairman, Otunba Henry Oladele Ajomale, said he had eagerly looked forward to this visit to share his perspectives with the ruling party in the state and in the center.
The Kabiyesi thanked the APC which he said had been governing the state since 1999 and marking great impact on the lives of the people for their support to his predecessor, Oba S.A.A. Oyefusi and now himself. He praised the APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his visionary leadership and said it was in recognition and appreciation of Tinubu’s achievements and contributions to Lagos State and the nation that prompted Ikorodu people to honour him last year with the title of Baba Oba of Ikorodu.
The monarch passed his felicitation through the APC officials to Senator Oluremi Tinubu, assuring the APC that Ikorodu people will always stand by their progressive ideals. He praised Lagosians for making the right choice in Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and thanked the governor for his exceptional performance within one year in office.
Oba Shotobi catalogued some of the achievements of Ambode’s administration for which he and Ikorodu people are grateful. He cited the commissioning of the BRT terminus at Majidun and inauguration of the Blue Buses, the walling of the Ketu to Ikorodu highway at Mile 12, the commissioning of Obafemi Awolowo road in Ikorodu and the construction of 114 inner town roads.
Other achievements of Governor Ambode according to the Ayangbure of Ikorodu include the light up Lagos project, security capacity building, extension of December Fiesta to all the divisions of the state and interaction with all Lagosians in town hall meetings.
He traced the history of election in the state since 1999, saying that the APC had always won convincingly due to the sagacity of the party led by Otunba Henry Ajomale and praised their progressive stance, which had always gladdened the hearts of the electorate.
The monarch ended his speech with a passionate appeal to the APC leadership and the ruling party.
According to him, “I wish to recommend a more robust relationship between the party organ, the government and the institution of traditional rulers- The king, traditional chiefs, and Baales, by virtues of their life appointment, have a more public focused and permanent interest in the development of their community. We are the closest to the ordinary people at the local level and also the custodians of the custom and values of our culture, which we have to preserve as sacrosanct to uphold our identity and history. Even though traditional rulers should remain father to all citizens of all political inclinations, each political party should consult the traditional rulers in the process of nominating candidates for elections for the purpose of counseling, dispute resolutions, reconciliation and peace building.”
While addressing the people of Ikorodu and the paramount ruler of Ikorodu during the visit, Otunba Ajomale said, “We have just come here to say thank you to you and the people of Ikorodu for what you did during the last elections. We recognize the role of Ikorodu during the elections and that is why this courtesy visit was considered necessary.”
Otunba Ajomale, who stressed that the visit was the first of its kind the political party would pay to a traditional institution in the state, praised various APC leaders, who are indigenes of Ikorodu for their successful performance during the last elections in the state. He, therefore, pointed out that, Ikorodu, in the next three years would have been transformed to a mega city comparable to one in United Kingdom; saying the dividends of democracy being deposited into the town was as a result of supports his party enjoyed from Ikorodu residents.
The State party chairman later appealed to all Lagosians and Nigerians as a whole to exercise patience with APC, saying the party was ready to reorganize the Nigerian economy but the rots of sixteen (16) years of the past administrations in the country cannot be cleared within two years. “Thank God we have leaders that can lead us to the promised land now. We need to be patient” he said.
This intelligent and focused politician was optimistic that year 2017 would be better than this year 2016 due to the various initiatives and programmes being organized by both APC led Federal and State Governments. He concluded his address by congratulating HRM, Oba Shotobi, on his enthronement as the Ayangbure of Ikorodu. He also called for peace in Ikorodu so that the state government can successfully develop the ancient division.
The former deputy governor in the state, who is also the APC leader in Ikorodu division, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, availed himself of the opportunity by the forum to remind Governor Ambode to please construct the Forth-Mainland- Bridge as promised. He also urged the Governor to find lasting solution to various security challenges in Ikorodu division, noting that hostage taking had become the order of the day in the division.
Also, the majority leader of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. S.O.B. Agunbiade, reiterated the supports APC usually gets from Ikorodu residents and pledged that the party would not let them down. He thanked the leadership of the party for reckoning with Ikorodu through the visit to show appreciation to the people for what they did during the last elections.
In her own short contribution, the former secretary to the State Government, Princess Denrele Ogunsanya, requested for a guest house where the governor and his executives can stay in Ikorodu and give Ikorodu people the sense of belonging. She said Badagry and Epe already had this and it would be fair if same can be built in Ikorodu. She also called for support for Onyabo local vigilante group, saying it would boost security in the division.