FALEKE’S SOLARLIGHT LIT IKEJA ROADS; BUS DRIVER REACTS ‘THIS IS GREAT LEADERSHIP’
By Abayomi Oyelami, Trek Africa Newspaper
Rt. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke
In a report ‘Korope Faleke: Can You Help Agege Youths too’ published by Trek Africa Newspaper platform on 7th February 2022, I had written about an Agege youth who made a passionate appeal that if I have access to Rt. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, he should extend his hands of help to them as well. He told me after seeing a notepad crested with the picture of the Member of the Federal House of Representatives and his wife, I quote ‘E jo, se e mo baba yi. E ba wa so fun won ki won help awa na, that is, do you know this man, please tell him to help us too’. Well, as I didn’t have such access to the Ikeja federal representative, I ‘cast in my two mites’ of editorial might to make the request of the young man public.
In another open admiration of the remarkable federal legislator representing the good people of Ikeja at the Green Chambers yesterday, a commercial bus driver moving from Ojuelegba en route Ikeja to Iyana Ipaja remarked: ‘whatever this man is running for anytime, mo maa te’ka fun, I will vote for him – referring to Rt. Hon. James Faleke – as he showed me the solar street lights which lit the entire stretch of Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way into Joel Ogunaike in GRA Ikeja and also into Kodesoh street, Ikeja around 7pm.’
Continuing in Yoruba, the bus driver added ‘if these ones, that is, the regular street lights on the centre of Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way do not work, I am very sure that those ones by Faleke will work because they are solar. Look at them on the other side. Look carefully, it’s getting dark, you will see a small signage with his face on those streetlights. I like this man so much. I remember I was there one year when he handed 50 korope (minibuses) to Ikeja youths. If it is another person, that money for minibuses, he will pocket it, who will know, who can challenge him? Ikeja youths like him so much, I am telling you. This is great leadership.’
The hallmark of politics, democracy, and governance is when regular people can openly admit the dividends of democracy and good performance demonstrated by the political class. Nigerians are naturally cynical – or better still, made so by decades of ‘promise and fail’ – about political leaders that they voted for or foisted on them. Thus, when the governance efforts of Nigerian politician elicit public acclamation like James Faleke’s, it deserves spotlight.
Let it be underscored that Rt. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke is a legislator. The primary function and role of a legislator is to make laws and provide oversight. But the federal lawmaker, James Faleke has chosen to go a notch higher than the norm. He is head and shoulders above his peers with infrastructure projects, empowerment schemes, humanitarian work, and governmental influence.
I conclude: Kudos, Rt. Hon. James Abiodun Faleke. Continue in your strides, your work speak for you. May the good Lord reward you!
