Baale Of Lisa, High Chief Odugbemi Calls On Indigenes To Partner Govt. On Development

Nov 19, 2014 Samuel Features 0

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The Baale of Lisa Town, Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria, High Chief Najeem Oladele Odugbemi has called on sons and daughters of Lisa Town at home and in the Diaspora to come home and partner with government in developing the area. “Government cannot do it all alone; we need to partner with government in developing the area. Whatever you can do to develop your community come and do in order to complement government effort. You need to plough back your resources into the community where you grew up to ensure that everybody is happy.”

The Royal Father made the call at the Baale’s day and celebration of the recent Moslem festival of Eid el-Kabir. According to him Eid el-Kabir is a celebration of the glorious time that Ishmael was not sacrificed on the altar to appease the Almighty for humanity, but by Ibrahim’s obedience Allah had to provide a substitute in the form of a Ram. “But ironically the world is turning to something else, where some terrorist are slaughtering human beings all over the world in the name of Islam,” the Baale lamented.

He commended Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state for doing his bit to make humanity feel the impact of good governance; but regretted that some political office holders have become nuisance by just being there for nothing. He said any government should be able to do what the constitution says for us to have a society that is just, equitable and progressive.

“We have not got it right in Nigeria. Any government that cannot achieve that is just a self-serving institution for very few people that are greedy politically.” According to him, this trend is not peculiar to Nigeria but cuts across the African continents. He said whereas the President of America for instance can dedicate his life or his comfort for the life of one American outside the shores of the country, such cannot happen anywhere in Nigeria. He explained that people do not need government rather it is the government that needs the people because it is their mandate that put them in that position of power and authority that gives them access to the good things of life which the ordinary man is being denied. “The peoples’ mandate should be reciprocated,” he maintained.

High Chief Odugbemi used the occasion to commiserate once again with families of the victims of the ill fated Belview Aircraft that crashed in Lisa village in 2005. He commended former President Olusegun Obasanjo for his role in identifying with the victims of the tragedy. According to him the federal government under Obasanjo intended to make the arcade the first Aviation Tourist Centre in Africa, but lamented that that has not happened due to neglect by the state government who had a joint partnership of the project with the federal government.

“Lisa is one small village in Africa where many Heads of States, Ministers, Governors and several other government officials have visited. In fact, over 200 visitors including groups came to the scene during the first year. Obasanjo made that happen. He commissioned this arcade during the first year anniversary when he came to commemorate the victims of that air crash; hoping that the state government which has a joint responsibility for the project would take over from there, but up till now nothing has happened. The truth is that government has abandoned the place,” he lamented. He disclosed that the only access road to the site was dilapidated after three years which is the more reason people could no longer visit.

By Aniekere Usenideh

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