By Nehru Odeh
The Oba-elect of Ijeododo area in Lagos High Chief Abu jelili Ayinde Ododo has empowered youths in his community and put smiles on their faces. The traditional ruler empowered them through the provision of skills acquisition training and financial support.
The good works of the traditional ruler came to the fore on Monday, 11 September, 2023 at the graduation ceremony of the skills acquisition training programme organised by Nemap Speed Up Lagos, a non-governmental organization in conjunction with the Oba-elect.
Youths in the community, irrespective of ethnicity and religion, were trained to acquire skills such as fabric design, make-up and catering (baking) and were awarded certificates.
Aside from the skills acquisition training, the traditional ruler gave N25, 000 to the five best students of each department. He also gave N20,000 to every student that participated in the training.
In his speech, the monarch expressed appreciation to Oniba Ekun of Iba Kingdom, Oba Adeshina Sulaimon Ashade, saying that he had learnt so much from him in terms of development and empowerment.
The Oba-elect also said this was just the beginning of his plans to help the youths with the little he has. Advising the people of Ijeododo to have the fear of God, since God has helped him to impact his people positively, he promised to do more to develop the community.
The traditional ruler also used the opportunity to call on the Lagos State government to work on the road leading from Ijegun to Abule Ado Express, Badagry, which has being approved by government. He also noted that he had been grading the road ever since he became the Baale of Ijeododo.
Mr Akinpelu Olufemi, the chairman of CDA, Ijeododo Central, commended the traditional ruler for the giant strides he is making to develop his community and impact the people positively.
“To the glory of God our Oba-elect has just started a new dawn. With this development under his own jurisdiction, I think Ijeododo is coming to the limelight, and we would go places. Because he is a lover of youths. He is a lover of the community. He is a man that has given himself to generosity. So Ijeododo is rising up to stardom.”
Olufemi also noted that the traditional ruler’s good works cannot be overemphasized, “most especially in a society that is so corrupt and all manner of belligerent attitude encumbers the youths in this environment.
“For him to have come up with this kind of idea it would enlighten a lot of people and it would make some of the youths in focus to think otherwise and know that their lives can become meaningful.”
Hon Ododo Kabir, Councilor representing ward A Iba LCDA, for his part, rated the efforts the traditional ruler has done to develop his community 100 per cent.
“I would give it 100 per cent because he had that programme on ground that he wanted to do. He was just waiting for something to be done, to be put in place.
“So this organization brought this initiative and he said ‘Okay let’s go ahead,’ he’s going to support them. And he supported them right from the beginning till the end. So I give him kudos and 100 per cent.
“To be a leader is a huge responsibility. So he has lead by example. He doesn’t discriminate. We have here today the Igbo, the Yoruba, the Hausa, people from Edo and Delta States. That shows he is governing ijeododo people with love and unity,” Kabir said.
Kabir also said this palliative measure would go a along way to support both the federal and state government in their current efforts to give palliatives to the people
“So for him to do this again, it’s a great way to support the government in it’s effort to bring palliatives to the people.. So I rate it 100 per cent again. Because by doing that he has supported the government on this lofty programme.”
Kabir also had a message for the youths as he enjoined them to continue with the skills they had learnt during the training, especially now may graduates are jobles
“This is indeed a means of doing something, of being self-employed and an entrepreneur. If you are an entrepreneur, you will be able to produce or do something,” he maintained, adding that Dangite and Otedola started the same way.
Some of the graduating students also expressed their appreciation. For instance Nafisat oshufunke Musbaudeen, who learnt Make-Up, Gele and Soap making, said she was very happy and thanked the Oba-elect for the training he provided them. “I feel very happy. I have to say thank you so much to the Baale of Ijeododo,” she said.
Mrs Olarenwaju Aminat, who prayed effusively for the Oba-elect, also wished there would be another similar programme in the near future “for people that did not participate with us. Initially some people made fun of us saying we are jobless. But now that they have seen us, this will serve as an encouragement to them. i appreciate our Kabiyesi and i am grateful,” she said.