APPRECIATIVE ISOKAN CDA THANKS AGBAJE, ORGANISES PRAYER FOR HIM OVER GIFT OF 500KVA POWER TRANSFORMER

HUMBLY REQUESTS PRIMARY HEALTH CENTRE (PHC) AS IMMEDIATE NEXT PRIORITY PROJECT INTEREST

It was like a day set aside by the people of Isokan Community Developmant Association (CDA) to appreciate and celebrate the Executive Chairman of Ayobo/Ipaja LCDA, Hon (Dr.) Agbaje Abiodun Lukmon for his "touch of Ijoba Irorun" on the people of Isokan community Phase 1. This followed their privileged opportunity to be one of the few beneficiaries of the ten power transformers distributed on the occasion of his 100 days of governance. Civics Weekly walked into the elative ambience of the residents this past Tuesday upon the visit to track the final destinations of the transformers after the formal commissioning as part of the substantial projects executed by the Agbaje's administration within three months of being in office. Using this opportunity to formally thank the Council Chairman, they pleaded that the next immediate priority project they were seeking to get was a Primary Health Centre.

Getting to the site of transformer platform, it was discovered that the community had indeed prepared because it was about the first and only place where the transformer appeared set to be energised about 72hours after taking delivery of it. it was already on its platform at the designated junction of William's Street where the step-down poles have been erected. This literally tells how the community had prepared for the coming of the transformer. Accordingly, a discernible mind might be tempted to ask if favouritism had not played a role in their case? The community had a cause to disagree even though they concurred that "lobbing" is also a route to achieving social aims and objectives.

Speaking to our correspondents in lead of other members of the executive present, the CDA Chairman, Elder Ademola Orisatola, said it was a product of factual needs Assessment the council Chairman could have conducted by himself. He added that the coming of the transformer was rather an achievement of a long struggle to bring stable electricity to the community.

He said: "We have been on this for years since the tenure of my immediate past predecessor who, fortunately, is here with us now. He started the journey before I took over the lead. I should only add that for the two successful administrations, we understood our immediate goals, so we maintained consistency. We were clear about it at our respective times that light was our immediate priority and we knew that the strength of it was one transformer. All I could say is that our consistency bred this success not any favouritism as you said.

"Let me say it briefly here because it may help to clear the way for others to benefit in the subsequent batch of this gesture: For our case, and I should think I'm speaking for the transparency our Executive Chairman, Hon (Dr.) Lukmon Abiodun Agbaje, made to guide how the beneficiaries emerged. We have a platform and I saw it there that distribution of transformers was part of the projects he would be commissioning. It was explicitly stated there any CDA interested in getting one should apply. Isokan CDA applied and here is the result we are celebrating here . We really thank the Chairman and we pray that the God almighty will continue to be his guide".

On his part, the immediate predecessor CDA Chairman, Engr Biodun Babaagba who is also the serving Treasurer at the CDC level, gave history of the journey when demand for transformer became the primary priority of the CDA.

He said: "It began when the community began to grow. At the beginning, which was about 2003, there were only 15 houses in this community. That was when we purchased that transformer About 2018, it broke down. It's from that 2018 we have been struggling to get another transformer. Then in my time in 2020, we had to go to a neighbouring community to go and borrow a leg. Of course, that was on the advice of the Ikeja Electric. We used that to augment the old transformer. But the upsurge of new residents into the area could not make them meaningful for us. It became overloaded. We have been on that overloading untill now that Agbaje came to our rescue. He is a wonderful man".

The CDA's Secretariat with borehole and toilet facilities already in place. It is being proposed for a conversion to the PHC in view.

Governance is a continuum and so the needs of communities will continue to grow in demand. This made the reason to ask what priority project the Isokan Phase 1 CDA would like to request of Agbaje? "Health Centre", Elder Orisatola answered without mincing words. He described it as the consensus of the Isokan residents. He said the community had resolved to donate their ongoing CDA Secretariat building to be converted for the PHC. They explained the necessity to be problem of Isokan community as being "far" from the Centre of government in Igbogila and the next neighbouring one at Ayobo.

THE VIDEO CLIP BELOW TELLS THEIR REQUEST Members of the executives and residents met on ground included Prince Kunlere, Ayotunde, Community Leader; Engr Kola Ogunbo, second Vice Chairman; Nwokere Obinna C., resident; Engr Dada, Chairman of Power Committee and Mr. Afolabi Oke, president.