The Chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Ladi Oluwaloni, is a financial expert who ventured into politics with the vision to serve his people. In this interview in his council, the distinguished financial expert turned politician speaks about his achievements within the first 100 days of assuming office, plans for the forthcoming council election, and his future plans beginning from August 2025 when another chairman will be sworn in while he steps back to assist the new helmsman. Excerpts:
Q: In the last 100 days, how would you rate performance as the number one citizen of this council?
I don’t want to rate myself; rather would prefer you conduct your rating assessment on me. If I am happy with what you have rate me with then I would say fine, if you have underate me then the residents and my distinguish collegues here will be the one to answer that so if you want to rate me based on what we have being able to achieve within 100 days how would you rate me.
Q: What are those things you have done within your first 100 days?
We give all glory and adoration to God Almighty, who has helped us to achieve the little we have been able to do across the council in our 100 days, and what we have done across all three segments of the council, which are Ayobo, Ipaja, and Baruwa. Let me start with infrastructure. On May 1st, 2025, we commissioned Kufo Road. This one road has been there for some years, untouched. But immediately I took over the mantle of leadership, I went there and promised residents that in a few weeks the road would be fully completed and commissioned. And that is for the people of Ayobo. On the 20th of June, last Friday, in Baruwa, we commissioned the Cosmos road for the good people of Baruwa. In a couple of days from now, the one for Ipaja would also be commissioned, and that is the road linking the palace of the Olu of Ipaja. We have done a lot, and that is why I keep saying that if truly we want people to have dividends of democracy, we will give it to them, and that is what we have done. I have made promises to Mr Governor that, sir, I will not disappoint him. And since then, I haven’t looked back; we have been working, and to the Glory of God, it is service to humanity, and I have done that.
Q: What gave you the impetus and courage to do this in 100 days, considering the resources at the council’s disposal?
The lord is my strength. I will keep saying, and I will always be saying it. I don’t believe in impossibility, and it is a service to humanity. I believe that my people should enjoy the dividends of democracy, and that is exactly what I have done within the last 100 days. Let me give you an instance, what has not happened in the Alimosho constituency has been done here. No local government chairman in Alimosho constituency has empowered his people with N100,000, but within this period, I did it for 507 people. It is to show that we can, so if we can, why can’t we do it, and that is exactly what I have done for my people to understand that democracy is for them. This conference room we are in, we don’t have this. We haven’t had this since the inception of this local government. It was being done within these 100 days. And from what we have done, everyone can sit comfortably here without any stress. All these are possible because I have a passion for my people and not only the political class, even the staff. On the 18th March, I was outside there, we increased the non-pensionable from N10,000 to N30,000. Maybe what has been helping me is because of my background, I am a financial expert. I look at what is on the ground, and I believe that with this we should be able to do this, and that is the reason why we have reasonable projects, reasonable things to show to people, and that would also help us during the Local Government election. I had a meeting with the councilors, the incoming chairman, today. I told him, look at what we have done. Forget it, this year’s election will be one of the best because we have worked. And the result can be showcased to anyone to see. At least you have gone with the team to see what we have done within the last 100 days. What we have done within this period, some chairmen that has spent 8years can’t stand it. This is a fact because we know we can, and I am not doing it alone; it is through the support of the cabinet and the legislative arm of the council, as well as the support of the management. What has helped me is that when I came on board, I knew that there were so many issues requiring solutions, and I must provide them to bring development to the people. The first thing I did was to create harmony in the political class, the management, and the staff. This has been so massive, and that is why we have been able to achieve all these.
Q: How do you manage delivering this work in short days and at the same time maintaining quality in the product you use?
I don’t sleep, I have to call a parliamentary meeting because I made some promise, and I don’t want anybody to hold me to my words. For instance, on the Cosmos road, before its completion, I am always there to check the level of work done. I used to go there between 1:00 am – 2:00 am to reconfirm that the contractor is working to achieve the promises made on the project.
Q: What do you mean by ‘I am for the people’ and I do my work for them not because elections are around the corner’?.
Even with what is going on, I didn’t stop working, it is because we have promised the people and we cannot fail them. We want to assure them that truly some people are ready to serve and for people to also see that truly there is dividend in democratic system of governance; that is my passion for what am doing and that is the reason why I can confidently work in Ayobo-Ipaja, I don’t use policemen, I don’t ask my driver to drive me around during odd hours for project inspection. I believe that he needs to be with his family. So, during this time, I walk and drive freely within the council, and this is possible because I am not looking at the present rather the future. All that we have done within the 100 days will give us more votes. Just recently, someone asked why I was not using an official car. I believe that if I am to get an official car, it would cost me N120 million – N150 million, but I believe that such funds could be diverted to completing projects that will ease the stress of the people. And that is what we are using to achieve what everyone is seeing today. The empowerment cost us about N70 million or thereabout. Weeks after the empowerment, the people are saying it everywhere that it has never happened, and that is why I am saying it confidently that in the whole of Alimosho constituency, no local government chairman has done what we did.
Q: What are the problems you encountered during the 100 days in the office, and solutions implemented?
I usually pray, and I believe there is no problem God can’t solve, and also, the cooperation between the executive, management, and the lawmakers is helping us.
Q: We have seen what you did in the health sector, if you have the opportunity to serve more, what will you do for this critical area?
Yes, for everything we have been able to do in line with the THEME plus agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. One of the issues we solved in the sector is to immediately provide an ambulance to serve the council, moving patients from the PHCs to the General hospitals. This is one facility that we have not had for many years. And I didn’t stop on that and I realize that we don’t have enough space in the council, so I think out of the box by go aroundidng checking on what can be done, and we picked Ishefun PHC and converted it to 24 hours service to complement the one we have within the council. We upgraded the health facility to 24 hours within 40 days of assuming office. Aside from that, my former principal, Chief Mrs Bola Shobowale, before she passed on, we were building a tertiary hospital that would attract people to the council, like medical tourism. This project is ongoing. So we have more interest in health in line with the THEME agenda of Mr Governor.
Q: Within the next few days before you leave office, what are the plans you have for the people?
We will commission the Olude road in a couple of days and continue serving the people as it has been enshrined in the constitution.
Q: What advice do you have for the incoming chairman?
We spoke earlier this morning, and I believe he will continue from where we left off.
Q: What should the people expect from you as the vice chairman to the incoming chairman, if your party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) wins?
The most important thing is that APC is our party, and we plan to ensure that the party’s candidate is sworn in as the next chairman. And I can confidently tell you that what I have done in 100 days, those who have served for 8years have not done it. If I am creating a good atmosphere for everybody to live in, I do not believe that is too much.
I remember that President Bola Tinubu, former governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, and the APC chairman, Henry Ajomale, approved my name as the Secretary to the Local Government (SLG) in 2017. I was here for the swearing-in ceremony, but I was told that if you occupy that office, you will become the next chairman. Today, I have occupied a position that is even higher than that. I have performed more than expected.
