Chief Samuel Olu Alabi is the chairman, Community Development Association (CDA) of Ojokoro LCDA in Lagos state. In this interview with TEMITOPE MUSOWO, he speaks on why insecurity persists in Nigeria, amidst other issues.
Lead us into your emergence as the CDC chairman of Ifako-Ojokoro LCDA
For anyone to be a member of CDC, he must have been one of the three principal officers of CDA which is under CDC. According to the law of Lagos state that established the Community Development Association structure, at the lowest level is the CDA where residents of a community come together to form the Community Development Association. Then all the Community Development Associations within the local government come together to form the Community Development Committee (CDC).
Thereafter, all the CDAs and the CDCs in all the LGAs come together to form Community Development Advisory Council at the state level. So, I emerged from being the chairman of my CDA (Runsewe Estate CDA).
What are the new innovations you are bringing into the way things are done in your CDC?
You see, a leader must be responsive beyond being responsible; he must listen and be ready to change his decision when he observes the result may not be good. One of it was my initial decision to cancel the entertainment during monthly general meetings, but on assumption of office, the feelers I got from the people I knew shows that if I try that, it would be an administrative community somersault on my part, so, I had to swallow my pride and allow the entertainment to continue. In the last general meeting we had, entertainment was served and it was even more robust and better than before.I have been a CDA person for over 14 years now, as general secretary twice, then ex-officio. That gives me an edge to know the areas where amendment is necessary, so the first thing I did was to appoint a liaison officer who is a full time employee of CDC. This makes me more accessible to people. It is easy to reach him. Through him, information flows easily to me from the people. He reminds me of community schedules and allied matters. We are also planning to set up CDC office where people can come and meet me, register their requests and come back for follow up. We are going to computerise the office and make it functional for the CDAs. They will have a place to type their letters, make photocopies, internet would be ready so people can easily send mails and receive correspondents. All these are plans we are working on.
What areas do you need government’s attention as a community?
To be honest with you, we have enjoyed government’s attention here. For anyone to say government’s attention has not been drawn here, that person may not be a resident of this community, but a visitor. In fact, on the contrary, I think people should be able to investigate why we are so lucky with successive governments in Lagos state. Just recently, 31 roads were commissioned within this community alone, so, we are grateful to the state government, though like Oliver Twist, we need government to do Temple Road and other strategic roads for us although it’s under high tension wire but I have seen roads done in similar environment like Obawole, so ours should not be different.
What are the challenges you face in the community as CDC chairman?
To be honest with you, I have had it so rosy. It has been easy and pleasant for me; don’t forget I have been here in the CDA for more than 14 years now. I also have a listening local government chairman. For instance, the local government awarded a contract to lace the premises of CDC with concrete, we went to him and asked him to change it to interlock and it was done. So, I have been finding it easy. The only thing is that that our people need to be more faithful in the payment of their statutory levies in order to encourage the government.Your CDC has enjoyed government’s attention. Is it because you have a lawmaker as member of your CDC executive?
Well, the 31 roads that I talked about were commissioned some days after I assumed office, so I cannot attribute the success to him directly. However, Rasheed Lanre Makinde is a community man to the core. Don’t forget that we all have our professional areas. He is a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Ifako-Ijaiye Constituency II. I also have a place where I work. Hon Makinde’s presence in the CDC makes me feel lucky. No CDC chairman has ever been that lucky. I have my second vice chairman as a sitting honourable member; that is an advantage to me. He is my companion, brother and co-warrior in community effort. The issue of being a threat does not arise here except for those who do not know the two of us. When iron robs on iron, it produces energy.
In some CDAs, there is always this leadership tussle between the Iyaloja and CDA like we are having in Computer Village now. Whats your position on this?
I can tell you that market cannot be above the CDA. I can also tell you that by the law of Nigeria, it is the local government that controls the market. When it comes to revenue generation, markets would be supervised by the LG but when it comes to community control CDA is directly in charge. When you see such leadership tussle coming up, you know money is involved. The CDA controls the community and by extension the market within the community. When it comes to revenue, the market is directly under the supervision of the LG.
What do you think is responsible for insecurity in the country, do you see this ending soon?
The security problem would remain even if those that are condemning the president now come into power. The security problem in Nigeria is more related to economy than we think. Where majority of the people are comfortable, where their three square meala are guaranteed daily and their standard of living is good, chances are that people would not go into crimes, but when you see school graduates being produced without any means of survival but they see open display of opulence by the elites with no hope in the system, they would take to crime. If you like, put police men on every street, crimes would continue until an average youth in Nigeria can wake up in the morning, beat his chest that his daily meal is guaranteed. You must have heard that in the early 70s, when you come out of school, job was ready for you and in a matter of six months or so, you would have your own car. It may not be SUV or Range Rover Sport but you will at least have a car and a rented apartment to yourself. All that have become history. We now have jobless youths in their millions and an idle hand is a veritable tool for the devil to use. Kidnapping started in the oil rich states with the expatriates. I said it then that when they are done with the rich, they are coming for the ordinary Nigerians. Today, corps member going for service; law school students going to Abuja to resume are now being kidnapped. People now arrange their kidnap in order to get money from their family members. It’s only God that can save us in Nigeria.
Finally sir,can you lead us into your background; your journey from beginning to where you are today?
I don’t really like to belabour people about the story of my background because I may be glorifying poverty. How I got out of school was very tough. I could not even afford to buy notebook even as a student in higher institution, but thank God we are here today by His grace. I will challenge anyone who say they can’t attend school because if financial support. This is because there are lots of jobs to do, save to fund your education. Money is in rough jobs, so the youths should be ready to participate in rough jobs.I am a lawyer by profession, I hold first and second degrees in Law. I am a politician. In the year 2015, I contested for the senatorial seat in my state of Kwara. Above all, I am a community development man.
