Agege Council boss charges youths on involvement in governance

The youngest of the 57 Sole Administrators appointed by the Lagos State Governor Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode last year, Mr. Gbenga Abiola has urged Nigerian youths to remain committed to influencing the change they desire in the nation, by participating actively in the political process.
He was speaking at a forum organised to honour him for his outstanding performance and for uplifting the status of youths, having been appointed at age 28, by ‘Involve Africa’ a United Nations recognised body of youths yearning for involvement in governance, tagged “An evening with the youngest local council boss in Lagos Gbenga Abiola”, and themed “Youth and Governance: Access capacity and engagement”, held at MRC hall in LASUTH.

The young council administrator charged every youth not to rest on their oars till the odds to greater attainment are surmounted.

Mr. Abiola, who is the Sole Administrator of Agege Local Government Area, stressed the need for youths to keep being naturally passionate in the pursuit of their set goals, noting that that will guarantee them their target end on the long run.

According to him, the secret of his success in life was the ability to merge theoretical inputs of psychology with the practicality of politics, he also hinted that the recommendation the current Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa made gave him the appointment, stressing that one thing he has learn to do repeatedly is to wait and remain active so as to remain politically relevant.

Recounting his most challenging experience so far, the former councillorship aspirant in Agege mirrors the power of synergy between Community Development Association(CDA), the council and the Nigerian Police Force as the major secret that helped him curtail the dreadful Awawa cult gang that was terrorising Agege in the times past.

According to him, “The most important day is the day I was appointed because I never expected it and looking at the challenges from the task ahead, Agege Local Government is as big as some African countries, so calling a youth like me at 28 to come and rule an African country was very tasking and challenging, and also a very remarkable day of my life.”

On his defining moment in politics, he said, “May your loyalty not be tested so goes the saying, I did not see the task as too big for me, initially, so that kept me going, immediately I got the appointment I told myself this is big, but I am bigger and also you don’t know what your principal or whoever is recommending you is looking for, so I have been myself, I have always portrayed the trait that has been in me.”

Abiola counseled the flagbearers of the various parties in the forth coming July 22nd local government election in state to embrace the spirit of sportsmanship in their bid and not give up.
“Youths need to make concerted effort to assert their presence in the polity, for them to be reckoned with, if I decide to contest for senate today and they ask me to go and sit down, I will sit and stand again, look if you are popular don’t be violent about it. No imposition can stop you, 18 years from now I look forward to being the president of Nigeria.

“The first question I will like to ask the flagbearers are, were they picked by their party? If yes good, it means they have to live up to expectation, but if not picked by whichever party, then it is not the end of the road, but an opportunity for you to redress and re-strategise, the maker of leaders are watching,” he said.

The Sole Administrator also used the opportunity to speak on his achievements in Agege Local Government in the last one year of his administrator, saying that his empowerment of the unemployed, through giving them opportunity to learn various trades and also giving some of them tools to kick-start the trade.
He also spoke about how he was able to fund most of his activities, announcing that he worked with the local people to ensure that they cooperated with him and through that he was able to increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the council to about 20 and 25percent from where he met it.