Bamigbetan And Cyber Rants

By Okunade Adekunle Sijuade

Any democratic political system that is built on democratic tenet of participation, constructive criticism is entertained to put government on its toes of performing its duties. Constructive criticism is part of the ways through which citizens contribute to nation building. This is obvious when the electorate call the attention of political leaders to some issues that are unattended to. But while doing this, electorate are expected to do so by putting the issues straight than attacking personality of the office holder.

I decided to write this piece because of my keen observation of many uninformed cyber rants who are unnecessarily attacking the personality rather than policies of the Executive Chairman, Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Kehinde Bamigbetan and as well misinforming the world about his administration on the various social media platforms.

There is no doubt that some residents might be disenchanted with the bad condition of some roads in the council area but the Ejigbo Local Council Development Area under the leadership of Bamigbetan has done much to alleviate the suffering of the residents. Maybe these paid cyber rants were not informed well by their paymasters or they are so blind that they can’t see the projects and efforts by Bamigbetan to turn around the council area.

It is right to point to some few bad roads in the council area but this problem is not peculiar to Ejigbo alone as it has become a national problem. We all know about the state of the Ore-Benin road, Lagos-Ibadan express road, Abeokuta express road, to mention a few. Ejigbo Local Council Development Area is a part of Nigeria, and so it is affected by the problem of bad roads.

As part of the ways of generating public inputs into the public policy process when seeking re-election in 2011, Bamigbetan conductor an opinion poll asking over 60,000 registered voters in Ejigbo what they expect from him when re-elected. The majority  response was on roads development. This has influenced his policy focus on road development which made him to set up Road Trust Fund and to approach banks for a loan of N550 million to construct 10 roads. It is necessary to point out that  Lagos State Government, having gone through the financial profile  and status of the council, finally approved N220 million as the amount of loan the council can obtain. The money was secured from Skye Bank and it could only construct four roads. The four roads are; Jubril Olabisi in Aigbaka Ward, Double Star road in Oke-Afa Ward, Nurudeen Obe road in Fadu Ward,  and Rainbow road in Ailegun Ward. As a resident of the Local government for more than two decades, I can state categorically that Ejigbo roads were in deplorable condition before the emergence of Bamigbetan as chairman. As his aide when he was Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the then Governor of Lagos State now National Leader of All Progressive Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I can state categorically that Bamigbetan lobbied the then Commissioner for Works now Executive Governor of State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on the perennial flooding at Military Zone Bus-stop under Aigbaka Ward. His lobby led to an end to the flooding of the area as action was taken immediately on the issue. He never complained about the role of the Constituency representatives at both the State and National levels.

The cyber rants might also not know that the various visible developmental projects in existence in the LCDA are through the efforts of Bamigbetan, who was re-elected by the people in October 2011. For the purpose of this piece, I write to inform critics that even the NNPC Road that was impassable many years ago and which was rehabilitated about a year ago, was made possible through the effort of Bamigbetan. I am very sure many people are not aware of this fact. In his quest for good road network and development,  the Bamigbetan-led administration facilitated the Ajao-Oke Afa link bridge under construction by the Lagos State Government.  It is sure that when completed, the bridge will serve as a major alternative route for people going out and coming into Ejigbo and this will reduce the problem of traffic gridlock experienced regularly from Isolo to Ikotun-Egbe. Are these not good works?

Bamigbetan’s keen interest in road development prompted him to initiate the construction of the first Ejigbo jetty located beside the Oke-Afa bridge cenotaph. The on-going jetty construction when completed would reduce pressure on roads in the council area, as people will have the opportunity of getting to Island and mile two area within a few minutes while using the ferry service that will be provided as a result of the jetty which will be completed by the end of this year. No part of the Council area is left untouched by the workaholic Council Chairman as he is facilitating the on-going construction of Ejigbo-Idimu road. The projects are there for people to see for themselves and not allow cyber rants to misinform them.

In his first tenure, Bamigbetan, with the little funds available, tarred with concrete, Jakande Gate road, Rafiu Tijani road leading to Falana bus stop and Kolawole Sebili road. Fifty local roads were also graded by the council.

Flooding is a major environmental challenge in Nigeria which is not peculiar to Ejigbo and Lagos State. Even the Lagos State government is proactive in addressing the menace by consistent enlightenment of Lagos residents, taking tree planting campaign to the grassroots and schools. Ejigbo LCDA is also part of this campaign. Apart from this, the Environment Department of the Council takes the environmental day seriously as it goes out to enlighten the people on why they should remove wastes from the drainages. The council boss has continued to empower the Community Development Associations (CDAs) in removing wastes that block drainages.

Concerning Iyana-Ejigbo Flood, Bamigbetan went to Lagos State Ministry of the Environment for assistance as he observed that the flood problem is beyond his capacity as council chairman. The ministry quickly awarded the job of deflooding to a contractor who moved to site to commence work.  It is pertinent to inform that the area is now experiencing a great deal of improvement as the contractor excavated the drainage on the right side of Ejigbo-Egbe road, from Iyana Ejigbo which made it easy for flood water to flow into the Egbe stream.

Confidently, I can state categorically that the Bamigbetan-led administration since October 2011 has taken road development, deflooding, education and good health as its priority. This no doubt has made his administration a proactive, responsible and responsive government that has taken Ejigbo LCDA from nothing to something with the limited resources available.

What people of Ejigbo LCDA need to do is to commend Bamigbetan for his efforts in transforming the local council from a deplorable state to what has attracted many corporate organizations like banks, hotels, filling stations and printing press, to mention a few.

•Sijuade wrote from Lagos