ONE YEAR IN OFFICE: ADE ADEOGUN’S GIANT STRIDES
~ By Ayodele Ologunola
Men of substance are not dressed in gold, it is when you scratch off their muddy dressings that you discover the precious gold underneath. Charles De Gaulle once said, “nothing great will ever be achieved without great men and men are great if they are determined be great”.
The above words can be used to describe Hon. Ade Adeogun, Member representing Akoko South East/South West Federal Constituency, under the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC) in the National Assembly. A grassroot politician and a man of the people who always puts the interests of his people first. The overriding purpose of politics and power in his mind is to incrementally elevate the society to higher levels of development and as well lift the people out of poverty.
Thus, his contributions to public discourse including the policies and programmes of government always shows that he is someone who commits time and energy to deep thinking. He has continually sought workable and viable ideas particularly for his Constituency and for the general progress of Nigeria. I make bold to say that in the present political era in Ondo state, Adeogun has proven himself to be one of those who pursue the tireless vision of Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in politics, for he believes and sees politics as a call to serve and not to be served.
In his words, “my goal is to seek avenues of attracting capital to support businesses in my Constituency such that the area would become a cluster of small businesses and centre of innovation”. He further promised to provide good leadership for our people and get the youths to learn from the economy of Aba that they may begin to turn their skills into avenues to grow wealth.
Within his first year in the National Assembly, Adeogun has touched the lives of his people positively by bringing to them the dividends of democracy. His performance has raised many questions in the minds of his constituents as he has been able to pursue a well laid-out developmental agenda.
While speaking with the Focus Newspaper, he said, “the crux of my campaign was a pledge to seek ways of reviving the economy of the constituency using legislative opportunities and my network of contacts”. In this light, he has been able to attract the Nigeria Ports Authority to provide artisanal tools and empowerment support for one hundred and twenty (120) constituents. Also through his efforts, one hundred and fifty five constituents benefited from the injection of N30 million Naira COVID-19 household loans, to boost the economy of the Constituency. Surprisingly, he’s taken it upon himself to repay the loans on behalf of all the beneficiaries!
In the area of education, Adeogun has introduced a scholarship scheme for two hundred (200) students into a private tertiary institution within the Constituency. The goal is to via education increase opportunities for indigent young men and women whose chances at life have been naturally reduced, support indigenous entrepreneurship, cushion the cost of tertiary education while ultimately laying the foundation for the emergence of another economic centre in Akoko South East where people far and near can invest resources. He is presently partnering with Etioro Community to rebuild a block of four classrooms at the only secondary school in the community.
#Employment: From 1st August 2019, Adeogun engaged over seventy non statutory aides to serve as Liaison Officers that they may bridge any gap between his office and all the wards in the Constituency. This was a direct way of providing employment and economic support for those who laboured to get him elected. The lawmaker has also been able to provide funding and business support for ten of constituents as part of growing millionaires scheme which is intended to evolve homegrown businesses in the constituency. In furtherance of this scheme, he facilitated skills upgrade amongst tens of youths in the area of shoe making, music, photography and other creative arts.
#Job Opportunity: Despite the difficulty in securing employment, Adeogun has assisted a number of young men and women from his Constituency to secure jobs at Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police and Department of State Services (DSS). He also held a number of trainings and capacity building workshops for farmers and members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in his Federal Constituency.
#Infrastructural Development: The lawmaker has attracted community selected projects to Oka Odo, Akungba, Isua and Oba Akoko from an international multilateral agency and he is paying the counterpart funding on behalf of the beneficiary communities. Oka Odo town hall was the first of such projects that has reached advanced stage and the counterpart funding has been fully paid.
Within the one year in office, Hon. Adeogun carried out the renovation of Oka town hall, rehabilitation of water boreholes in several communities and electrification intervention projects in Iwaro Oka and Akungba Akoko. In the 2020 Appropriation, he nominated some projects that include, erosion control, roads, solar power, water schemes, provision of furniture and learning aides for schools as well as the establishment of a business incubation center.
The message Adeogun is sending to people of his Constituency is clear and he is not ready to change it. His interest is simply to raise hope that has been dashed by bad leadership. A plan is in the offing to create an economic platform that will be mutually beneficial to all electorates and the society by giving directions for our people who have been badly plundered. Against all odds, Adeogun will continue to preach the possibility of the Akoko dreams. It does not matter what pessimists think or say, he is positively encouraged that our people will see better days if they faint not.
