PRINCE BALOGUN VOWS TO DRIVE MONEY LENDERS OUT OF BUSINESS IN EGBE-IDIMU LCDA

Story by Mariam Jimoh & Bankole Akinlaye
"I AM FOR APC! I BELONG TO NO CAUCUS", HE DECLARES
It was a joyful moment for the market men and women in Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) when Prince Idris Balogun announced that money lenders would no longer have a thriving business in his era of administration. He said all traders, particularly the organised market women would begin to enjoy trade grants to uplift their businesses.
This came as he told the cheerful party faithful that he would not play any factional politics with his government. "I am for the party. You and I belong in APC only", he declared.
Oluomo Kaafata, as he is fondly called, made these declarations last Thursday at the official flag off of the All Progressives Congress (APC's) campaign for the coming local government elections in Lagos State. The event also served as his reception back home from the state where he had gone to receive the party flag as the party's candidate for the Council Chairmanship in the LCDA.
ADVERTORIAL: JOIN CIVICS WEEKLY ON JULY 22 AWARD DAY OF THE COUNCIL CHAIRMAN OF THE YEAR. IT WILL BE AN INTERESTING DAY AS WE UNVEIL THE MORE YOU ARE YET TO KNOW ABOUT KSO -- THE HONOREE
The Crown Prince of Isheri Olofin was received by the incumbent Executive Chairman, Hon Kunle Sanyaolu Olowoopejo (CCY'24); the State Vice Chairman, Lagos West Senatorial District, Chief Babatunde S. Aboyade; the LGA Party Chairman, Alhaji Akibu Soliu; Executive Vice Chairman of the Council, Hon Mutiu Adebiyi; and a host of tumultuous crowd of party faithful in their rank and file.
Balogun made a triumphant entry into the quadrangle of the venue with a lead pilot of three horse riders amidst the cheerful excitement of the party crowd.
With a rousing speech of hope for a new era to come in the Council, he reeled out his "manifesto" to the applause of his people. The first he appeared to set in foremost priority was the promise of sustainable regular empowerment grants for traders, especially the market women. This, according to him, was a deliberate intention to put Shylock money lenders out of business within the Council's jurisdiction.
Acknowledging the presence of the market women association by calling them out to rally round him, he said: "In my administration, market women will no longer take 'Lapo' (his term for mfb loans). I will get a list of all traders in our markets and structure a way to give grants that will go round. I feel you in your efforts of trading to support your family. I know the humiliation you sometimes face when you get this loans. I want to put a stop to that.
"We will establish a committee that will be in charge of managing the pool of funds and disbursing it. We will make sure no one is left out. This is part of my empowerment plan for the women". Reaffirming the faith of party members that he would not run a discriminatory government, he declared that the era of caucus politics was gone.
He said: "I am for APC! You are all APC members as far I'm concerned. I can see only a gathering of APC people here! We are all one! There is no more caucus. We should allow peace to reign in our local government. Wherever there is unity is where we find love; it is where we find development.
"Thank God that you would have seen a photo trending recently on social media. It was the photo of Hon Bisi Yusuf and our mother, Joke Orelope, taken together. That should be the symbol of our unity from now. It is the hallmark of the peace we need. We were together where we went to take our flag. The two leaders told us they were together. And if that is the resolution of our leaders, it is the pointer to the direction we are to move.
"It means that we have to stop flying around unnecessary and divisive rumours. May be we do not know? We are really the problem of division among our leaders with false information we always carry around. Many people do not like places where there is peace. Such person should also be seen as enemy of God. The curse we should put on them is that whoever is not ready to live in harmony with us, let God drive him away far from us. "Looking at the harmony we are in this gathering, is it not good? Is it not to our grace that we are together now? You can try to test my resolve about this any how, I am not for caucus anymore".
The event closed with delivery of campaign buses to the five party candidates for councillorship contest in the coming elections.

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