THE BRAND ARK IS BUILT ON SERVICE DELIVERY – HON. ARK
By OKI SAMSON
Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu (ARK)
Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu, fondly called by the acronym of his name, Hon. ARK is a high flyer in the Lagos State House of Assembly. Like the Noah’s ark, he has lived true to his name providing shelter, protection and comfort for the population in the Ikeja constituency II. He is reputed to have brought the bills for the Lagos State Sports Commission and Lagos State Sport Trust Fund which have since been signed into law by the past Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. Having returned to the house for the second term, he had an exclusive chat with Oki Samson, Trek Africa Newspapers where he discussed sundry issues relating to youth empowerment and the development of Lagos state.
Trek Africa: can we meet you?
Hon. ARK: I am Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu, member of the Lagos House of Assembly representing Ikeja Constituency II and also the Chairman House Committee on Youth, Sports and Social Development.
Trek Africa: How has policy making been for you, particularly as relating to youth development in the first term?
Hon. ARK: During my dispensation as Chairman House Committee on Youth, Sports and Social Development, we have been able to engage youths in different activities that has promote youth inclusion and involvement and will also give them tenacity that will build them to be useful for the society. This includes youth seminars, youth awareness on democracy and governance, career growth especially those going to the youth parliament. The parliament has just sworn in a set of youths which will help them learn the ropes of governance. And to instill in them the mindset that democracy cannot exist without legislature. Vocational training, creating youth employment and the likes have also been done. I can tell you that through my office we have been able to bring over 100 youths into the Lagos state workforce thereby making them to be able to fend for themselves.
Trek Africa: What can you say is the missing link for youths in governance? They are getting it right in ICT, banking and the likes, what is the issue?
Hon. ARK: you cannot say that Nigeria is not encouraging youths in governance. Just recently, the national youth policy changed the old classification of youth from 18 to 35 to the new 15 to 29, so that more youths will be engaged. What I find as the problem is that misplaced values, moral decadence which has affected the thinking of youths in the totality. The youths of our time need to stand up and get involved. If you ask an average youth if they have voters card, they are likely to say no while they are the ones that will go on social media to lodge complaints. The youths of our time are too quick to want to make money, this is killing us. Our youths need to be more focused. If you can’t perform your civic responsibility, how do you want to change things? If you are not involved, things cannot evolve.
Trek Africa: What is your success story in your first 4 years?
Hon. ARK: if not for God, it will not have been possible. Mixing and meeting the right people, our leaders, the constituents made it possible. The excitement of being re-elected is a satisfaction that I am doing something right. It was a landslide victory like 16000 as against 4000 of the closest candidate and winning all wards. The brand ARK is something that has been built over time. People love the idea, they want to share the vision, they want the mission to fulfill its full circle. In fact today, you don’t need to see my name when you see the logo, you can identify. Commitment to service delivery has brought it this far. The brand also means Acts of Random Kindness. The idea is the Noah’s ark. Gbenga Adeyinka will say the the brand ARK is an ark that is broad to take everyone. My position as Chairman was quite broad encompassing oversight functions of MDAs which include the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Lagos State Sports Commission and the Office of Disability Affairs.
Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu (ARK)
Trek Africa: What will be your agenda for youths in this new dispensation of Babajide Sanwo-olu?
Hon. ARK: The administration of Babajide Sanwo-olu will do the youths a huge favour by making sure that they concentrate on more inclusion, job creation, financial empowerment, youths programmes that will benefit. We will definitely work in collaboration with his administration. Mind you, I am not sure I will be retained in that committee but as a youth in the house, I will continue to ensure my voice is heard.
Trek Africa: Low self-esteem and morale among youths, what would you advise?
Hon. ARK: whether positive or negative, one’s morale is a functionality of one’s personality. Having said that you have to engage yourself in positivity to be able to succeed. Negative vibes bring failure and failure is caused by predestined attitude of failing to prepare. My advice to youths is to stand up, chin up, heads up and shoot up to the top. We can do it only if we stay firm, stay true and be loyal to the law of the land that bore you. The youths stand a chance but it is level of seriousness that will take us from 30% to 50% to 70% and to 100% full handing over of power in the country. I want to use this opportunity, to specially thanked my constituency, family and the national leader of our great party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Mr. Speaker, Rt. Hon Mudashiru Obasa for their advice and supports always.
