“Leadership is not about the next election; it is about the next generation,” Barack Obama once said. In Eredo LCDA, Hon. Ismail Monsuru Akinloye appears to have taken that counsel to heart, choosing to end the year not with speeches but with substance. As the year draws its final breath, the Chairman has rolled out a string of people-centred interventions that speak loudly of a leader determined to consolidate on the gains of the past year while planting fresh seeds of hope for the future. Little wonder the elders say, “A tree is known by its fruits,” and in Eredo, the fruits have been many and timely.
In a carefully thought-out sequence, programmes long nurtured in the Chairman’s mind unfolded one after another, touching governance, security, welfare, youth development and infrastructure. One of the most symbolic gestures was the presentation of a Toyota Hiace bus to the leadership of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Eredo LCDA. Beyond the shiny metal, the message was clear: workers matter. The vehicle is expected to ease operations, enhance staff welfare and improve institutional efficiency. As the proverb goes, “When the messenger is well treated, the message will be delivered better.” By empowering the workforce, the administration has reinforced the engine room of grassroots governance.
Security, often described as the oxygen of development, also received a strategic boost. In recognition of the critical role of law enforcement, Hon. Akinloye donated a black Toyota truck to the Noforija Divisional Command of the Nigerian Police Force. In a country where communities yearn for safety, this intervention strengthens patrol capacity and response time, reassuring residents that their government understands that “without security, there can be no development,” as Nelson Mandela famously warned. It is a practical step that aligns with the Yoruba wisdom that “A town guarded by vigilance sleeps with both eyes closed.”
Compassion has also remained a defining pillar of this administration. The Chairman reached out to the vulnerable: widows, the elderly and other indigent residents, with the launch of Renewed Hope monthly conditional cash transfer initiative to celebrate the end of the year and cushion the harsh economic realities of the times. This gesture echoed the biblical injunction that “He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,” and reaffirmed the belief that governance must wear a human face. In Eredo, governance was not reduced to policies on paper; it translated into relief in real homes.
Youth and sports development, often the heartbeat of any progressive society, found expression in the grand finale of the second edition of the Eredo LCDA Chairman’s Cup. The thrilling encounter between Iraye FC and defending champions Egiri FC delivered not just football drama but community bonding. After a tense goalless draw and a nerve-racking penalty shootout that extended to the goalkeepers, Iraye FC emerged victorious. The prize money: ₦1.5 million for the champions, ₦800,000 for the first runners-up (Odo-Egiri FC) and ₦500,000 for the second runners-up (Iragunshin FC), was more than reward; it was investment in talent, teamwork and dreams.
Infrastructure, the silent but enduring legacy of leadership, also featured prominently. Building on the recent completion of the Odogbawojo access road with drainages and streetlights, the administration has commenced construction on a stretch of the Odomola/Iraye road from the ALASCO Hospital junction. This project promises to ease movement, improve access to education and healthcare, and stimulate local economic activities. In the words of an old African proverb, “Roads do not only connect places; they connect people and possibilities.”
Another quiet but far-reaching intervention under the Akinloye administration has been the steady resurgence of potable water supply across Eredo LCDA. In communities where residents once trekked long distances or depended on unsafe sources, the construction of solar-powered boreholes has begun to rewrite daily realities.
By harnessing solar energy, the projects, some of which are currently under construction before the year run out at Oriwu Street, Odo-Egiri; Thomson Street, Iraye; and LASU Road, Iraye are strategically located in critical areas of need. These facilities will provide clean, reliable and environmentally friendly water, reducing health risks and easing the burden on women and children who bear the brunt of water scarcity. It will also cut running costs and guarantee sustainability, proving that development can be both smart and humane. As the proverb reminds us, “Water has no enemy,” and by restoring access to this basic necessity, the Chairman has reaffirmed that governance, at its core, is about securing the essentials of life for the people.
As the year winds down, Hon. Ismail Akinloye’s scorecard in Eredo LCDA reads like a deliberate consolidation of purpose, strengthening institutions, securing lives, uplifting the vulnerable, empowering the youth and expanding infrastructure. It is a fitting end to a year of action and a reminder that, indeed, “the reward for good work is more work.” For the people of Eredo, the year ends not with questions, but with visible answers and renewed faith in grassroots leadership that delivers.
