Why we are insisting on developing Ogun border communities, by OGLABOT

OGLABOT is a group that has been championing calls for the development of Lagos-Ogun border communities. In this interview with Eniola Daniel, the group’s publicity secretary, Mr. Deji Alfred Olatuyi, explains why border communities must be a priority as well as its support for GNI.

Why has OGLABOT become agitated close to an election year?

OGLABOT is the acronym for Ogun –Lagos Border Towns. it includes all the communities and villages that share boundaries with Lagos State.

It’s an idea that came about 10 years ago when we met with the then candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who is now the candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ogun State, Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka.

We bought into his idea of developing Ogun-Lagos border communities and felt he is the right man to talk to.

Since then, we keyed into his vision and we have been going about taking the message to everyone.

We have a lot of potential in these communities like Ogijo, Ishagamu, and Arepo axis along with Obafemi-Owode, Akute Alagbole, Ifo and other areas.

But neglect of the border communities is not a recent occurrence…

We are a body that believes in Isiaka vision of taking Ogun State to greater heights and the idea of OGLABOT, which Isiaka has promised that when he gets into power in 2019, he’s going to come up with a blue print and set up a body called “Ogun Local Government Town Team” in towns that complement the existing government structure, that will see to infrastructural deficiency in these border towns.

Apart from infrastructure, we also talk about schools in the state.

They are nothing to write home about; the state of all the roads in Ogun State today is a mess, and these are cash cow areas that can fetch the state government a lot of income that can be used to develop other places.

Isiaka said he would declare a state of emergency on those roads and ensure that from Ogijo to Agbara and Igbesa and, of course Ifo, Ado-odo, Ota, Mowe-ibafo, Agbado, Okearo, those are the major areas. So the first thing is to come up with a body that would be solely responsible for infrastructural development in those areas.

Since Lagos State has been projected to double its size in the next 20 years, it would be an advantage for those areas?

When Lagos double its size, then it’s either the population expands to the Atlantic Ocean or expands to Ogun State. So the onus is on us as a people to be ready for that explosion.

We cannot continue to do things the same way and expect different results. A commission has to be set up that will look into infrastructural deficiency.

Isiaka did not say he’s going to neglect other areas, but we just have to face the challenges coming from Lagos head on by coming up with a strategic plan on infrastructural development.

Ogun shares boundary with three states (Lagos, Oyo and Ondo) and of course there is international boundary with Republic of Benin. So, all these areas would be taken care of.

But we are particularly interested in Lagos because of its economic benefits.

Lagos is the commercial centre of Nigeria and Ogun State shares boundary with Lagos State. As such, if those areas are well taken care of it’s going to improve the economic situation of the people.

And, of course, to who so much is given much is expected.

Is splitting of Sagamu into two local councils part of your bargain with Isiaka if he is elected?

It’s a constitutional issue and it is not what you can just wake up one day and do. But as of today I am aware that the outgoing administration of Governor Ibikunle Amosun created some LCDAs people may want to ask if we want to review it or not.

To us, government is a continuum we are going to retain them and strengthen them. The closer you are to the government the more likely the impact will be felt.

Sagamu has been subdivided into LCDAs and we are going to empower them because all the LCDAs we have today merely exist in name and on paper. They must be empowered, be able to stand on their own and be able to handle some of the projects like roads that have been neglected by the outgoing administration.

How do you envision OGLABOT to be in the next four years?

Without mincing words, GNI is a man we can trust we have been on this journey with him for a very long time. He is a first class product of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and he’s also a man of his words and he has never promised what he cannot achieve.

He believes he is going to achieve all he promised. As members of OGLABOT, we have put our image and our job on the line.

So, when it comes to government, it’s very easy to derail, but we believe he will not. We will continue to remind him of all his promises, what is affecting the people and continue to work with him to make sure that he achieves that. It is only when he achieve that we will also be happy.

OGLABOT has come to stay and we’ll continue to fight for the people.