…to engage the area boys positively
The Agunbiade Primary School playground in the Somolu local government area of the state was filled to its capacity on Wednesday 4th May 2022 when the All Progressive Congress (APC) party chieftains, members, and supporters stormed the center in support of former Vice Chairman and Executive Secretary; Somolu Local Government Area, Hon. Biodun Orekoya as he made his official declaration to vie for the Lagos State House of Assembly ticket to represent Somolu Constituency I.
The elated former Commissioner told newsmen during his declaration at Agunbiade Primary School, Somolu, that his focus was to address insecurity in the area through free and compulsory education.
He, however, promised to take Somolu to a higher height through a peaceful atmosphere noting that there was no other sustainable empowerment of people than education.
Orekoya said that if given the opportunity to represent the people of Somolu, he would lobby his colleagues on legislation to provide qualitative and compulsory education for all children.
”It is something we are all going to look at together, using education. Most of the boys that are involved in this menace are school-aged children.
“We need to make our primary and secondary education free and compulsory; not just free but must be compulsory like we have in developed countries.
“We don’t see children of school age roaming about there. We must get our children properly educated. When they are educated, the issue of insecurity will be a small thing. We want to get our youths out of the streets. Many of them use illicit drugs because they are not meaningfully engaged,” he said.
While calling for support from the leaders and members of the community, Orekoya pledged to provide quality representation that would end some of the nightmares faced by residents of the area.
In his conclusion, he also promised to positively engage the area boy through dialogue which he said will stem the tide of violence in the community.
“The basic thing is to sit them down and talk to them. When I was on board, I called all of them to a meeting and they comported themselves.
“We need to bring them to a round-table, we cannot throw them away, they are part of us and there is nothing we can do about that.
“The only thing we can do is to call them to a round-table. Many of them are sensible, So, we need to get them engaged,” Orekoya said.
Also speaking, Mr. Dayo Adefuye, an APC party leader in the constituency, commended Orekoya for his record of sacrificial services, saying the aspirant knew how to talk and engage the youths.
Adefuye, who described Orekoya as a trustworthy leader that knew where shoes pinched said: “We look up to him for the change we are desiring in Somolu.”
Mr. Adedapo Odugunwa, the Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), Somolu local government area, said the council needed people who understood the challenge of the council, especially the problem of flooding.
Odugunwa advocated for community policing to address the challenges of insecurity, saying: “the number of security personnel is rather too small.”