Why I Still Live Among Residents Of Ifako/Ijaiye - Toba Oke
The former chairman of Ifako/Ijaiye local government area of Lagos state, Honourable Oloruntoba Oke, had a stormy tenure and was often invited to the state House of Assembly over issues relating to his stand on developing his council area.
He scores himself and his tenure in this interview with Legit.ng.
Excerpts:
Q: Let's hear about your tenure as the chairman of Ifako/Ijaiye local government?
First, I have to give thanks to God for giving me the opportunity to serve my people. There were challenges, but I give thanks to God and the good people of Ifako/Ijaiye for the support they gave me. I was able to achieve 75 percent of what I set out to achieve.
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Q: You want to tell us some of your achievements?
During the campaign, part of our vision was to transform the local government from a rural one to an urban one, which we were able to achieve. We focused on many areas and were able to upgrade the local government.
We were able to construct many drainages, and link roads and upgraded our health centres and gave them drugs. We promised to take care of our elders and we said we would be having a monthly programme for them. We did this and we interacted with them on a monthly basis.
In the area of youth development, we were able to organise empowerment programmes and skill acquisition programmes for them and they appreciated this.
Also, we were able to support our sportsmen and women, especially secondary schools. During my tenure, one of the secondary schools won the Principal Cup and it was something that was very encouraging.
Q: Local government autonomy has remained controversial. Do you support this?
As far as I am concerned, the issue of local government autonomy is not relevant now. What matters is that whoever is at the local government as an executive chairman or as executive secretary should be up and doing.
He should manage whatever resources that is available there properly in such a way that the vision of your political party would be realised. The issue of local government autonomy doesn't come into play, when it comes into administration.
Q: What are the feelers you are getting from the people about your tenure?
Naturally, people are insatiable, it is not possible for you to go into public office and everybody would like you when you finish your tenure.
A former governor of Lagos state, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu got into office, when the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state was N600 million monthly, but within eight years, he increased it to N12 Billion which he handed over to former governor Babatuned Raji Fashola, yet some people didn't like him.
They forgot that it was his brilliant performance that made the people of Lagos state accept Fashola from him despite the opposition he faced then. It is natural that when you go into public office, people would not accept you 100 percent. Of course, if one goes in there again, you would see that there are still a lot of things to be done in a better way.
Q: What is your ambition now?
In whatever you do and whatever endeavour you find yourself as a human being, you aim higher. But, this is a political party, I am a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), where things are done in an orderly manner.
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You would agree with me that in the whole of Nigeria, one man that has proven himself as a democrat is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and he has been able to perform as an excellent administrator. He and other leaders of the party would decide, who gets what, when the time comes.
They look at you and say that this man has the ability to perform in this or that particular office and they would support you. So, it would be very difficult for me to stay here and say this is what I want to do next. It is our style in the party to depend on the grassroots and the leadership of the party, who would determine, where you would go.
Q: Would you say Nigeria has achieved democratically as a nation?
We would get there one day, but it has to be gradual. The process of achieving democracy is a gradual process. We have left Egypt, but we are not yet in Canaanland. I am happy to see Nigerians coming out to support the anti-corruption crusade of the present government in Nigeria. The level of democracy in Nigeria is rising everyday.
Q: Would you support capital punishment for corrupt public office holders?
I would look at it from two angles. You could look at it from the angle of being against humanity. A situation, where someone steals $500 Million of public fund is a crime against humanity because it is what brings economic problems to the country, which could lead to the death of some people.
Whosoever causes injury into the psyche of the other person deserves death. In that regard, I would support capital punishment. But on the other hand, capital punishment is not acceptable again worldwide, so I would not support it.
Q: What is your assessment of the governments of President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state so far?
They have started very well because they came on the platform of a party that has good programmes for the people. Also, they are just coming into government, a lot of re-ordering would have to be done, a lot of foundation would have to be laid and a lot of planning would have to be done.
You cannot just get into government and start working immediately, you have to do it patiently and in a matured way. You have to be focused on what you want to do.
We don't have to be in a hurry, Governor Ambode has spent 100 days in office, I doubt if he sat in the office for 60 days. He has been moving from one ward to another and around all the local governments in the state trying to find out what the real needs of the people are with a view to knowing what the people want.
President Muhammadu Buhari too has been going all over the place to solve the problems of the country. He has been tackling corruption and solving the problems of the country.
Q: People would have expected that someone like you would have left Ifako/Ijaiye to live in highbrow areas of the state...
For me, I believe you have being among your people, they gave you their votes and you have served them, you should not stop living amongst them.
People talk about Ikoyi, Magodo, Omole or Victoria Island; my style is to stay here and replicate all the things they have in those places here. Look at what we did, the roads have been done and we have done other things.
Former governor Babatunde Fashola came here and said that he would help me to upgrade the area as we have been working. So, he promised to give us a stadium, he started the work two weeks after he discussed it with me and the stadium is there now.
My former school in Ifako/Ijaiye is wearing a new look. If by any reason I become the governor of the state, I would not leave this place, I would only upgrade the facilities there.
Source: Legit.ng
