In a bid to ameliorate the pervading hunger in the land, the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Mayor, Prince Lanre Sanusi has relaunched his ‘Apo Ariyo’ bagged foodstuffs distributed to over 2000 residents on Thursday.
At a well attended event by stakeholders and residents in the area, Prince Sanusi flanked by his wife Dr. Mrs. Abidemi Ajoke Sanusi and other stakeholders cited the well-meaning mien of President Bola Tinubu as the main drive for the Apo Ariyo Initiative, adding that the gesture was part of the efforts to ensure his Renewed Hope Agenda gets to the grassroots.
“We have been doing this since 2014 and the choice of the tag Apo Ariyo, was because my late maternal grandfather and first Oba of Amuwo-Kuje’s name was Oba Bisiriyu Ariyo.
“But this one is different because you voted me here that informs why we are having it here in furtherance our father President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s welfarist policy. We shall do it on a monthly basis.
“Next month’s own will be great and that of December will be more far reaching given the yuletide season.
“This edition is taking care of 1,500 households here, but we still have another 500 packs reserved and all will be distributed to the people.
According to him, each bag contains rice, beans and Garri to feed the needy across various wards of the council.
Assuring the people of his administration’s commitment to fix the inner roads to ensure free flow of traffic around the area, Sanusi said that part of the event included the ground breaking ceremony of Dubar Junction Road at Mile 2 tagged; Construction of gate and gate house, perimeter fencing, median beautification and road repairs.
The Amuwo Odofin Mayor moments later officially laid the first brick for the construction work, accompanied by his Vice Maureen Ashara, the All-Progressives Congress APC Chairman in Amuwo Odofin Apostle Ayo Ogunbiyi, five councillors led by their Leader and other stakeholders.
The site engineer stated that the project will be completed in 12 weeks.
Prince Lanre Sanusi however, read a riot act against double parking by NAPEP tricycle riders in Festac, while adding that areas like Magodo and others started after Festac but are well organized, so residents must feel the presence of good governance in Amuwo Odofin.
Promising to erect gate at the junction to ensure security and safety of the people, Sanusi said that reconstruction and repairs work would also start at 1st Ave. to Alakija, 2nd Ave. 7th Ave. Agboju Market Road, among others.
“In the same order, our inner roads will receive more attention, we are trying to fix some of them now but the raining season has been hindering the speed.
“We know that before December all our inner roads must be motorable, this is our commitment, ” he added.
He added that, “Major Road project at Akoso going to Chosen will be done before the end of next year. I will not fail you because you took me this far.
“I want to serve; I am blessed and poised to give back to the community.
“2025 budget is finished we are looking at that of 2026. In Mile 2 here we shall keep up the good works too.
“When it is time for politicking, we shall do politics with our delivery. Not by beer parlour politics but a show of dividend of democracy enjoyed by our people.
A stakeholder Mr. Waheed Atanda, the Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC), Amuwo Odofin Area, who commended Sanusi for his well thought out initiatives, said if poverty and hunger were addressed, many challenges facing the nation would be solved.
“If things are being done in this way, apparently everybody will feel they are part of governance. Good governance is about taking into consideration what people need.
“People do not philosophise on an empty stomach. When people are well-fed and when people are well-nourished, then they will have the mind, the mindset to think,” he added.
On road repairs, Atanda, said it is what the community earnestly yearned for quite a long time ago, “we are extremely happy that that ground breaking is commencing today”.
Also speaking, Prince Adeyemi Muftau-Ayilara, the President, Amuwo-Odofin Landlord Residents Association (ALORA), said that the gesture would ameliorate the general suffering in the society.
An elated Mr. Olatunbosun Olayemi who benefited from the Apo Ariyo scheme, expressed deep appreciation, while commenting that he is a very proud electorate owing to the fact that the council boss, is doing so well and his vote is not wasted.
A beneficiary, Mrs. Mulikat Raheem appreciated the Chairman for the gesture, saying the food bags would go a long way to nourish her family.
Another beneficiary, Mrs. Victoria James said, “It is a good thing that he (Sanusi) is doing, he is helping the poor and the elderly, he has started well and we pray he ends well.”
