Feature:
“Soldier go, soldier come barrack will remain forever” It’s on this that comrade Ogunmilugba delivered a well designed Ifeloju Local Council Development Area Secretariat, Ilupeju Ekiti and other legacy projects in less than two years in office. To be precise, January 5, 2022, will remain ever-green in the memories of the out-going first Executive Chairman of Ifeloju Local Council Development Area, (LCDA) Ilupeju-Ekiti, Comrade Babatunde Ogunmilugba and his subjects.
It was a day he was inaugurated as the helmsman of the LCDA. Upon assumption of office, he set the tone of affairs in the council by engaging in a stakeholders’ meeting with the five communities that make up the LCDA with a view to acquainting himself with their needs and other things that would ensure life is worth living in those communities.
The communities are: Ilupeju Ekiti, Itapa, Osin, Omu and Ijelu. Of course, the most desired needs of each community differed from one another. Comrade Babatunde Ogunmilugba leveraged on this to impact positively on the people based on his wealth of experience when he called the shots as COB ONE an acronym for Comrade Babatunde Ogunmilugba. A name that continues to ring bell since 2009 – 2010 when he had a stint as the Executive Chairman of Oye Local Government.
Comrade Ogunmilugba, a prudent manager of both human and material resources utilized funds that accrued to the LCDA judiciously for not only the advancement of Ifeloju LCDA, but also the Communities that are in the Council. It’s crystal clear that Ogunmilugba made his footprints known in all facets of life.
He commenced meaningful projects that touched the life of the common man in the street.
It’s imperative to showcase the giant strides of the number one citizen of Ifeloju Local Council
Development Area, Ilupeju Ekiti, which had not only impacted lives but beget the LCDA with legacy projects that will be instrumental to the upgrade of the LCDA to full fledge Local Government.
First and foremost, COB as fondly called, is a farmer of repute who used his wealth of experience in Farming to increase the Internally Generated Revenue of the LCDA via cultivation of yams, maize and nursing of thousands of seedlings for commercial and Empowerment purposes. Some enthusiastic young youths and old farmers across
the LCDA were empowered with farming tools, cocoa, cashew, seedlings, chemicals, cassava stems all in high yield breed with the aim of making them self dependent and prosperous in the face of harsh economy.
According to the Chairman”
We followed the six-point agenda of Governor Biodun Oyebanji. We quickly embarked on empowering youths on farming where we grew ten thousand seedlings of cocoa, cashew nuts ,maize, cassava, because predominantly agriculture is our main occupation here, we planted to make profit and to empower our farmers, most of the seedlings are high yield breed”
Following the needs of each community, Comrade Ogunmilugba provided over fifty set of solar light each for Omu and Ijelu Ekiti, while Itapa, Osin and Ilupeju Ekiti were also not left out in the installation of solar in strategic places. Asides that, the palace court of Owatapa of Itapa Ekiti was renovated, while the five communities farms/new sites roads were opened for development.
In Osin Ekiti, about ten open stalls built during his reign as Chairman in 2009- 2010 were reconstructed and transformed to lock – up shops for commercial use. This has increased the internally-generated revenue of the LCDA. The same scenario applies in Ilupeju Ekiti where three Lock -up shops were renovated for commercial use. Also, market was built for Omu community.
Moreso, considering the well-being of Ifeloju staff and residents of Ilupeju living around Ila, Ilofi- Oke ola axis who usually stay in the scorchy sun while looking for vehicles to Oye – Ado and Ikole axis, the chairman built a standard bus stop named, GALAXY BUS STOP. The bus stop serves as relaxation centre to both the elderly and the youths where games such as ludo, draft, ‘Ayo olopon’ are provided.
Still in Ilupeju Ekiti, the Headquarters of the LCDA, comrade Ogunmilugba re- constructed Ilupeju Market- Mosque road that had been in bad shape for years.The road has concrete pavement and drainage now.
On Education and social welfare, Comrade Ogunmilugba believed that education is the best legacy to give a child. Premised on this, during his two years in office, he prioritized the education of the students in Ifeloju. During holidays, he organized extra moral coaching for SSS2, SSS3 and JAMB COACHING for students. He mobilized his Councillors to produce Exercise books which were distributed to students from Primary to Secondary Schools across the five communities that make Ifeloju LCDA.
Also, scholarships were given to some brilliant but indigent students while he facilitated employment for many residents of Ifeloju Local Council Development Area, Ilupeju Ekiti.
Widows, the physically-challenged and market women equally benefitted from the largesse. Many of them were given food stuffs, clothing materials, money for small-scale businesses among social investments intermittently.
Comrade Ogunmilugba said in one of my interviews with him” I am a Stakeholder in Ifeloju project, you don’t expect me to perform less despite the meagre resources given to us. I am always prudent to ensure that necessary infrastructural facilities are put in place in case, in future this LCDA needs an upgrade. As I have that in mind, the well-being of my people and their safety are very germane to me”. This informed the establishment of Ifeloju Lion Squad security outfit by Comrade Ogunmilugba to provide extra cover for the residents of the LCDA, having critically examined that the available Government security personnel may not be enough to protect his people.
The LION SQUAD had about forty-five personnel comprising twenty five regular security patrolling the Communities day and night and twenty who are on surveillance. The outfit was fully kitted, provided with motor cycles, and necessary logistics that made the personnel effective in the performance of their job. This innovation in the security of lives and properties have since reduced theft, burglaries, kidnapping and other criminal cases drastically.
Talking on sources of funds for execution of projects, Comrade Ogunmilugba hinted that funds were received through; Government allocation, Sure P, Ecological fund and ten percent internally Generated revenue.
As a wrap up,though, Ogunmilugba still has a month in the saddle, he has performed excellently, He has apparently justified his mandate to his constituents and proved the confidence they reposed in him. The out-going also through his creditable performance demonstrated that the creation of local Council Development in Ilupeju Ekiti was not a missed priority or a waste of tax payers money. His name cannot be forgotten in Ifeloju LCDA because he has laid solid foundation for his successors.
It is no exaggeration to say that he came, he saw and proved his mettle. More power to his elbow.