By Owolabi ‘Ajimomuya’Oseni
The heavy downpours in Somolu on Saturday, July 22, 2017, was undoubtedly showers of blessings as it announced the victory of the APC’s flag-bearer of the Chairmanship election, Hon. Abdul Hamed Salawu a.k.a. Dullar.
Throughout his first tenure of four years, the son of the popular Equalright food vendor turned Somolu into construction sites as over 40 roads wore a new look and new business buildings sprung up, giving opportunities to young business owners.
Bajulaiye, Fola Agoro, Orile Somolu to Onipanu, Akoka, Bashua, Igbobi, and Fadeyi all turned to industrial areas as residential apartments started having commercial and industrial values for new occupants.
Hon. Abdul Hamed Salawu is not just bent on developing Somolu infrastructurally but also making tax, rates, and levies payers money work for his people at the grassroots. The monthly welfare package for the elderly people started when he assumed office in 2017 and has continued to gain popularity within and outside Nigeria as numerous humanitarian awards have been flooding into his office in and outside Nigeria to recognize and appreciate the ‘rare breed Council Chairman’.
Immediately after he assumed office for the second term a year ago, Hon. Abdul Hamed Salawu hit the ground running by completing the much talked about Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu Primary Healthcare Centre which was commissioned in December 2021 by the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Ibijoke Claudiana Sanwo-Olu, who was the former Medical Director of the General Hospital in Somolu. The new healthcare center has since joined other five healthcare centers delivering quality primary healthcare services to the people of Somolu.
Since the emergence of Hon. Abdul Hamed Salawu as the Council Chairman of Somolu Local Government, the name ‘Somolu’ has become golden to investors, young business owners, and property managers. A young prints business entrepreneur with so many branches springing up in Somolu, Mr. Taiwo Ojomu of printing.ng, said it is true that businesses are witnessing growth and expansion in Somolu since the Hon. Abdul Hamed Salawu Dullar led administration of Somolu Local Government started, “the success and growth recorded by businesses in Somolu in recent time is directly related to the roads network which the Chairman of Somolu Local Government has embarked on as it makes more areas to be easily accessible”, Ojomu said.
Hearing ‘Somolu’ before recent time is enough to get some people scared as the area was believed to be unsecured but with periodic meetings with the ‘Peace and Security Committee’ in Somolu, the Hon. Abdul Hamed Salawu has been on top of security reports and working with uniformed and civilian security stakeholders to combat crime. A Somolu-born top military Chief who won’t like his name on print recently agreed to the fact that Somolu is becoming more secure and peaceful as the Council Chairman is busy lighting up the dark spots in the area by building new roads to link those areas, making them inhabitable for criminals and hoodlums.
Truth be spoken, Somolu is the only area in Lagos State with the highest concentration of Higher Institutions in its neighbourhood. With Federal College of Orthopaedic Technology, the University of Lagos, Yaba College of Technology, Federal College of Education (Technical), St. Augustine College of Education, and high brow secondary schools with decades running into century records of excelling, when Somolu is referred to as an Education hub, one won’t be seen to have erred. Many indigent students have received support through the educational support programmes of Hon. Abdul Hamed Salawu led the administration of Somolu Local Government from the bursary funds, free WAEC, GCE, JAMB UTME as well as scholarships into a higher institution that runs continuously.
The youth inclusion in his government is second to none as he has more than 70 youths in his government during his first term in office and over 80 as we speak. A combination of his media, ICT, environmental, Agric, and Social Services teams are exemplary Somolu-born youth who are professionals in their field of chosen career and it’s the best Lagos State can boast of.
The religious co-existence in Somolu was strengthened by Hon. Abdul Hamed Salawu is a human gesture that Nigeria and Nigerians need to learn from. Christians and Muslim leaders attend each other’s programmes together. They are also proud to convey each other’s leaders in their association’s busses presented to them separately by Hon. Abdul Hamed Salawu led the administration of Somolu Local Government. Both Somolu Muslim Community and Somolu Christian Association are usually proud to exchange gifts during their festive seasons. Moreover, the traditionalists have not been left out as well as their rulers.
The changing faces of the Alade and Olaleye markets in Somolu as a result of the #endsars fire and internal inferno are definitely in the interest and collaboration of existing traders and new business owners.
While addressing newsmen at the recently re-launched ‘Jigi Bola’ program at Police College in Ikeja, Hon. Abdul Hamed Salawu disclosed that after ceding the old Local Government secretariat to Lagos State Government to build a bigger General Hospital for the people of Somolu, his administration is embarking on a massive New Local Government secretariat that will be one of the best in Africa.
12 months ago on July 26, 2021, when Hon. Abdul Hamed Salawu was sworn in for the second term in office, alongside his 56 colleagues in Lagos State, the ruling party All Progressives Congress has gained more popularity with more new members hopping in from the opposition parties, setting Somolu at the front page of Lagos politics.
The achievements and unrelenting efforts in making Somolu greater are what is making Hon. Abdul Hamed Salawu stands out from the crowd. Little did many wonders, the reasons ‘Dullar’ is usually the toast and favourite of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadir Obafemi Hamzat as one of the leading Council Chairmen who has made the T.H.E.M.E.S. Agenda of Lagos State to work in his Local Government.
When asked about what his people should expect in the next three years in office, the workaholics’ Council helmsman said ‘with the cooperation of our people and the will of Almighty God, more developmental and infrastructural projects as well as people’s oriented programmes where no one will be left behind, Dullar said.
