‘Why I Want To Be Chairman Of Agbado/Oke-Odo LCDA’

BY CAMI EZENWA

A front runner in the upcoming chairmanship election of the Agbado Oke-odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Alimosho Lagos, Iyalaje Ajoke Moromoke Aminat Obe, has given reasons why she is bidding for the office.

Popularly known as AMA., the grassroots philanthropist, trained journalist and artist amongst others told a select group of journalists in an interaction, that, the time had come to put her wealth of experience and kind-heartedness to the service of the people.

She said her contesting for the office, was to deepen in a broader way, the interventions for a better life for grassroots people in Agbado-Oke-Odo, adding that she had already been active in such before now, before the office.

This is coming after over 20 years, understudying, serving other politicians and initiating/executing laudable grassroots-based but beneficial projects to the benefit of the people

“I am passionate about improving the lives and welfare of our women and children. I want to make governance touch our communities and improve the lives of our people directly”, she said, adding: “I have sat down to understand their needs and have come up with programmes and projects that would address these”.

With a politician-father in the days of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and later Alliance for Democracy (AD), AMA had also done a lot of political tutelage, including being Director of Projects in the Senator Ganiyu Solomon campaign group.

She has also occupied such positions as Head of security, Vice chairman, member, Board of Trustees of her residential estate, with a lot of positive impacts to her credit.

“Mine has been a life of service at various levels. I am modest about it, but the truth is that I am an achiever. There is nothing I set my heart at that I cannot achieve, and I know that this quality of mine is most needed at my LCDA now”.

She cites instances with her long-running women empowerment programmes, which had thus far benefitted about 50 women in Agbado-Oke-Odo, equipping them with skills for economic well-being, a laudable community library project which many had thought impossible for an LCDA, as well as environmental cleanliness that has left her immediate estate better aesthetically and health-wise.

Expressing concern at the level of poverty and lack of amenities at the grassroots, she said this should not be, given that the resources to turn things around were already available, only awaiting a harnessing.

“I have asked myself, how can I be more effective in my little corner, and that is why I am making myself available for this office.

“I am not even looking in the direction of the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for the LCDA. I just want to use my goodwill to attract more development to my people in collaboration with the right organisations, individuals and companies.

“I do not see myself walking into a company or organisation with proposals that would improve the lives of our people, and not coming out with positive results”, she said,

According to her, the resources to improve lives in the rural areas are already available and needed only administrator with the right mindset and connection to harness.

AMA said that using her personal relationship and contacts as a journalist, and a grassroots administrator, she would be able to attract the needed resources, collaborations and projects that would make Agbado Oke-odo, the best LCDA in Lagos state in a short while.

She shared with the journalists, some of her pet programmes and projects, covering the areas of community development, sport and recreation as well as women/youth development, which upon election, she would commence implementation.

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According to her, collaborations for each of them had already been worked out and would be rolled out at the right time.