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Local Government autonomy will engender grassroots devt –APC chieftain, Dipo Olorunrinu

As the people are clamouring for development in the local governments in Nigeria, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) , and a former lawmaker in the Lagos State House of Assembly from 2015 to 2019, Hon. Dipo Olorunrinu, has said that the country should embrace local government autonomy. The politician spoke extensively on how to make our local governments functional in this interview with OLUDOTUN OSHUNRINADE. Excerpts…

 

Would you say the local governments in Nigeria are doing their best for the people?

 

Frankly speaking, the people expect much from the country and I would say much is expected from the grassroots, which is represented by the local government.

 

They are the closest to the people and much is expected from them. They are the ones that interface with the people at the grassroots.

 

To whom much is given much is expected. I would say the local governments are doing well, but a lot is expected from them.

 

Are they getting the best from the state and federal governments in terms of funding and support?

 

Of course, they are not getting the best; they are trying their best with the little resources available to them.

 

So, how can we make our local governments better?

 

We should think of how we can actualise local government autonomy, which is being campaigned for all over the country. Whoever is the chairman of a local government is seen as the president or the governor in the area. He should be thinking about the agenda of the president, the governor and even that of the party.

 

It is a two-way thing and the people are expecting so much from him. They should be looking at what happens in the developed countries, where the local governments solve many of the problems in the grassroots.

 

It is believed that there is so much corruption at the local government level, which the people believe affects development there; do you think that is correct?

 

Well, I have always said that corruption is a thing of the mind. It is being experienced in every sector and even in the private sector.

 

There is politics everywhere, in offices, even in the church or mosque and at home. It is not possible for the local government to do some things based on the resources available to them.

 

The revenue they generate might not even be enough to do many things. That is why we said that local government autonomy should be embraced. When this is done, a lot of things would be easy to do for the local governments. It’s not easy for the local governments to do some things such as road construction, building bridges and all sorts. Of course, many things are expected from them such as moving around and lobbying the state government for the interest of the people.

 

They need to seek support for the development of their people. If you look at developed countries, they partner private individuals, private entrepreneurs, and successful entrepreneurs and you see Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) getting involved. People want to have something to do with your administration.

 

The local government chairman must be seen as someone the people can partner with for the development of the council. These are things you need to do, and you cannot give what you do not have. You must have the niche, create a platform, where successful people can partner with you.

 

As a lawmaker in the Lagos State House of Assembly then, I brought the issue of an individual to the floor of the House, who tarred an entire estate with interlock stones and gave them street lights and he did it 100 percent with his personal money.

 

It all came out of relationship. The Speaker of the Assembly, who is still there now, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, said that the man should be given a recommendation and appreciation letter. It takes a lot for somebody to tar an entire estate of about six kilometers. This happened in Amuwo Odofin in FESTAC Town.

 

These are the kind of things we are talking about. As a Chairman, it means you are chairing people’s affairs, you are not a king or a monarch, you are a servant- leader.

 

People misunderstand the word “chairman” as if he is a monarch or king. You should seek for palliatives for the people and take care of them.

The local governments should look inwards rather than waiting for handouts. We are in a country where people self-develop.

You have to be a representative of the people. You have to put a face to their problems. Every wealthy personality wants to have value for his or her money. They would not put their money where there is corruption.

 

What qualities do you expect in a local government chairman or councilor?

 

When you say a representative of the people, he must be somebody that is standing on behalf of the people. It means you have to equip yourself with knowledge. You have to be G o d l y    and flexible.

 

You must have an executing mindset, don’t just be having meetings without acting. You should not just be a hearer of the word, but be a doer of the word like the Bible says. It is from taking steps that you will see some level of success.

 

You have to look inward and source inward. Sourcing inward starts from sourcing from yourself.

People say capital is money in starting a business, it’s not true; capital is yourself, your credibility. Capital is not money, life has grown beyond money. There are big time businessmen today, who don’t even sign Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

 

There are levels of businessmen like that, that their word is their bond, they don’t need to sign MOU to seal a deal.

What MOU do people such as Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola or Mike Adenuga want to sign?

It’s their words that stand for them.

 

Not that they don’t do some level of documentation. People want to affect others through their money, but they want to know where their money is going.

 

They look at you, where are you coming from, what have you done for yourself, what kind of family are you from, what kind of things have you done for yourself, what are your agenda.

It’s like a business plan. You must do your SWOT Analysis, which is Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats.

 

 

Let’s assume you become a local government chairman today, what would be your priorities?

 

I have said this before, I would make myself available and accessible to the people, which is very important. What is an agenda for A might not be the agenda for B. As a local government chairman, you cannot tell me to provide electricity for the entire local government, I might not be able to do that, I am not the President, may be the Governor can do that.

What the people need now is that they want to be happy, they want to see hope. The sight of their representative gives them hope and life.

It’s like a baby crying, once the mother comes around, the baby keeps quiet even when the mother has not given it anything.

 

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