Warm and superlative encomiums are being lavished on a member of the House of Representatives from Oyo State, Hon. Abass Adigun Agboworin, for building entrance gates to strengthen security and enhance community policing in some communities in Ibadan South-East Local Governmeent Area of the state.
The encomiums and praise are coming from representatives of residents of Felele-Olorunsogo, Kajola-Irede community at Academy Oju-Hospital Area, Alake, all in Ibadan South-East Local Governmeent Area of the state.
Speaking for Felele-Olorunsogo community, the Vice Chairman, Police-Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Mr Lukman Gbadamosi, said the gate built and erected by Hon Agboworin has greatly helped in beefing up security at Felele and environs.
He said the project had not only made Agboworin very popular in the community but had endeared him to the youths of the area.
He disclosed that about five politicians had approached the community to copy what he described as “the beautiful gate” done by the lawmaker representing Ibadan North-East /Ibadan South-East Federal Constituency.
“In fact, it is a magnificent gate. We are very grateful for what Hon Agboworin has done. The gate has raised the profile of Felele-Olorunsogo community a lot. When people pass through Iwo-Road to Felele and they see the gate, they say ‘this gate is very beautiful and modern.’ And it is indeed a modern gate, first of its kind in our area.
“Hon Agboworin, through this gate, has changed the status of Felele to a modern community. It is not the way people see Felele before that they are looking at it now. Things have changed through the lawmaker.
“For this pioneering and innovative project, a lot of politicians have now approached us to tell us they also want to build and erect entrance gates for us. Hon Agboworin is a very good innovator. He initiated the entrance gate and now everybody is trying to copy it.
“If you ask anybody in Felele, they will speak very highly of him. We were not expecting he would perform up to this magnitude. His performance is highly rated in Felele-Olorunsogo community.
“That gate is a ‘foundation gate’ for all other entrances and gates in and out of Felele-Olorunsogo community. There are about 15 exit and entrances into and out of Felele. So, by doing the foundation gate, he has opened ways for everybody to come to Felele and say Felele is now a changed community and is now beautiful.
“A lot of people are now coming back to live in Felele because they now know there is security in the community. About five other politicians are now trying to do other gates and they all want to copy Agboworin gate. They want to do gates at Scout Camp, one behind Ayefele Music House and other places, On his part, Mr Abiodun Adebayo, who is a youth leader in Kajola-Irede community at Academy Oju-Hospital Area in Ibadan South-East LG, said the two security gates done by Hon Agboworin have helped in warding off hoodlums and petty robbers from the communities.
Adebayo added that accidents occassioned by hit-and-run okada and vehicles have greatly reduced in the communities.
“If you get to the area as I am speaking to you right now, you will see the gate at the entrance with the inscription ‘built by Hon Abass Adigun Agboworin.’
” That is not the only gate in that area. He also did build and erect another gate in Alake, another community in the area, making a total of two gates and both are completed.
“I am not a politician, but in the community they know me better. Immediately he was elected and sworn in, he came to the area and asked what the needs of the community were.
” The elders in the community told him we wanted gates to secure the areas and he came to do the gates for us. We are very happy that he did so and we are grateful to him.
“During this COVID-19 curfew, the gates have helped to improve security in our areas. Prior to COVID-19 outbreak, area boys were having free entry and free exit into the communities to disrupt the peace when they clash. But now, such boys and hoodlums generally shut them out of the areas.
“Those who live in the communities but work far away are given 90 minutes to at night before the gates are locked. Even motorists and okada operators who used to over-speed and in the process hit people and run away no longer have access to our communities to do such.
“So, the gates have helped to reduce accident. These are some of the usefulness of the gates,” he said.
