There was excitement and celebration in Lagelu Local Government on Monday as the lawmaker representing the state constituency, Honourable Akintunde Olajide Emmanuel distributed school desks, tables, and exercise books to no fewer than four secondary schools across the four political zones in the local government.
This is coming barely 72 hours after the lawmaker commissioned a stall of twenty units of shops in Kajola market, Lalupon area of the local government. Prior to this, Hon. Akintunde had also earlier in January commissioned modern borehole and toilet at Olounda market for the use of the market operators as well as the Maternity Centre in the area.
Each of the selected schools namely; Apatere Community Grammar School (Igbo elerin zone), Adetunji Olowode Community Grammar School (Laguna/Olowode/Offa zone), Community High School, Arikuyeri (Lalupon Ejioku zone), and Community High Junior School, Ifesowapo, Kute, (Monatan/Olounda zone), received twenty units of desks and tables each and one hundred copies of exercise books each in order to reduce household financial burden of families with wards and children in public schools.
Speaking at the Flagg off of the distribution of desks, tables and exercise books to the four selected schools yesterday at the lawmaker’s Constituency office at Iyana-Church, Hon. Akintunde who said the project was his personal project and commitment to his people noted that it was part of bringing good governance down to the people at the grassroots.
AKT as he is popularly known, who also doubles as the PDP Whip of the 9th Assembly as well as the Chairman, House Committee on Employment, Labour, Productivity and Pension said the gesture was the second phase of his contributions to the education sector in Lagelu as a compliment to the Governor Makinde’s efforts in making Oyo state a truly pacesetters’ state in Nigeria in term of free and qualitative education for all.
“This is the second phase of my contribution to the education sector of Lagelu Local Government and by that I mean in term of personal project because we’ve done quite a bit more in terms of constituency commitment. And of course, we know without sound education there would be no national progress.
“I am particularly moved and inspired by the commitment of His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde in the education sector of Oyo state which has of course, returned Oyo state to the limelight in terms of rating in quality education at all levels in Nigeria. We can not have enough contribution to our education sector, the more we make input, the better it gets for all of us tomorrow.
“It is very important to pay keen attention to the academic wellbeing of the leaders of tomorrow who are the ones in school today. And one of the ways to achieve that is to also provide and ensure an enabling environment and facilities for learning, and these are just part of those things I believe will go a long way in enhancing the study environment and motivate the children to learn under good condition.” Hon. Akintunde said.
In their separate remarks on behalf of others, Mr Fabunmi Aliu and Akindele Adekunle Okuwatosin who represented the Principal of Community Grammar School, Apatere and Adetunji Olowode Community Grammar School, commended Hon. Akintunde for the gesture, saying the items were provided when they are needed most as it is another examination period across the state.
They noted that even though there is more to be done, the lawmaker has performed creditably well by other numerous support initiatives and programmes which he has in the past provided for public schools in the local government.
The Baale of Arikuyeri community, Chief Gbolagade Kiladese, in his ‘thank you’ remarks, described Hon. Akintunde as a true son of Lagelu who has shown exceptional leadership in his conduct and character in both his public and private life noting that previous representatives from the local government in the past failed to live up to expectations while in office praying God to take the lawmaker to greater office where he would be able to do more for his people while assuring of his unwavering support for the lawmaker.
The Chairman, National Union of Teachers (NUT), Lagelu chapter, in his remarks explained that no lawmaker has performed in office as Hon. Akintunde Olajide stressing that the usual excuses they have endured over many years of neglect by past lawmakers has been that lawmakers were elected to make laws only. He maintained that politicians like Hon. Akintunde are who Lagelu needs not those he described as deceivers. While thanking the lawmaker for the gesture, the NUT representative assured of his Union’s support for the lawmaker in his future political aspirations.
The State PDP Women Leader, Alhaja Wulemot Ibitoye who struggled with tears while recalling the key role the lawmaker’s late mother played in bringing the party to power said the lawmaker has continued to live up to expectations despite the huge task before him being the only lawmaker from such a big local government as Lagelu with 14 wards.
She maintained that the desks, tables, and exercise books will go a long way in enhancing the students learning condition and as well reduce the financial burden on their parents. She commended Hon. Akintunde for making not only the party proud at the legislative chambers but also Lagelu Local Government and called for more support for the lawmaker in his political sojourn to enable him attract more meaningful development to the constituents.
Some of the party leaders and elders who graced and spoke at the event were Elder Ayobami Gold and Baba Fabunmi otherwise called Baba KENFAB and others. They expressed satisfaction with the performance of the lawmaker who they described as the pride of Lagelu whose political influence has continued to soar and cuts across all categories of the society including party members and leaders saying after Seyi Makinde it is Akintunde Olajide.
Others present at the event were the PDP Chairman of Lagelu Local Government, representatives of beneficiary schools, party leaders, members and some members of the community.
