The Oniru of Iru Land, Oba Omogbolahan Lawal, Abisogun II, says the Kingdom is committed to national, environmental and security development for the growth and progress of Lagos State and Nigeria.
Lawal made this known when the Governor of Ekiti State and Chairman of the Governors’ Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi paid him a courtesy visit on Sunday in Lagos.
The monarch said that various developmental projects were already in place for the benefit of Iru land.
Lawal disclosed that over the past few weeks, Iru land had carried out various exercises bothering around environmental awareness and development such as tree planting and the cleanup of the beach fronts in Iru land.
According to him, the need to maintain a healthy environment will at the long run translate to a generally healthy community, hence the importance of being committed to environmental development.
“I am very grateful and delighted that you are here all the way from Ekiti State. We see all that you are doing in your state and we feel the impacts here in Lagos State as well.
“It is a thing of joy that you have successfully played your part as a governor in developing our nation.
“As governors and traditional rulers, we are enjoined to play our parts in making the nation great again.
“This is why, over the last few weeks here in Iru, we have been engaging in activities bothering around environmental development.
“We started with a tree planting where we distributed no fewer than 1,500 seedlings for coconut and other trees as well as the beach cleanup where we cleaned up waste from beach fronts all around Iru.
“This brings me to the issue of waste management. We need to promote the use of reusable bags as against single use plastic bags,” the Oniru said.
The traditional ruler said that the security of the states’ Liason Offices at the Oniru Beach Front was of optimum importance as the offices were old and dilapidated hence they served as hideouts for miscreants and hoodlums.
“We have written to the Police and I will like you to use your office as the Chairman of the Governors’ Forum to look into this.
“Let us see how the palace can collaborate with those states because a lot of people come into this axis and their security should be our priority.
“We have a lot of financial institutions there, investors as well so we need to redevelop those places.
“There is what we call land value capture in land economics, where property of government, especially those that are not fit for the purpose they were built but are strategically located.
“Such property can still be utilised in some way and it will generate a lot of impact and revenue still comes back to the owners of such property” the Oba said.
The Oniru said that governors and traditional rulers should be able to work hand in hand to bring security and environmental health to people in the community hence, traditional rulers should be included in governance apart from their traditional responsibilities.
He appealed to Fayemi to support the call for giving traditional rulers a role in governance, saying that as traditional rulers, they were more informed about the communities’ needs and they were like a grassroots government.
He said that Iru land always looked forward to a regional integration with neighbouring states such that any development or project proposed was mostly welcome because they would have a positive impact on the national economy.
Earlier, Gov. Fayemi, who expressed delight being at the palace of the Oniru, said that he had no doubts in the abilities of the traditional ruler to deliver his optimum best to the people of Iru land.
Fayemi said that Iru land was one of the primmest and economically viable lands in Nigeria, adding that Oba Lawal was bound to leave it in a better state than he met it considering his many years of experience and the projects that he had already started.
“I am extremely delighted to be here today. This is like a home to me; Kabiyesi has been my brother for years, the better part of the last three decades.
“We have been coming on this journey of progressive development in our communities so I am especially delighted that he has been chosen by our ancestors to continue in the path of our fathers in this very critical community to Lagos and to Nigeria.
“I have no doubts in my mind that his period on the throne is going to be beneficial to our country.
“He is not just a progressive thinker, he is exposed, experienced and has an extensive knowledge of development at the local community and global level.
“The Oniru has received first class education in community development and he has network that will benefit this special community,” he said.
Fayemi said that issues concerning the liaison offices would be looked into by the governors’ forum and everything would be done to ensure the security of the beach front.
He said that he had been abreast of all the developmental projects and programmes that the monarch engaged in since he ascended the throne, adding that he was certain that Iru land was in the best of hands.
“I pray that your reign continues to bring in more prosperity and peace to your people. Everything you lay your hands upon since your ascending the throne will prosper and yield positive results and may God take evil far away from you.
“In the little time I have spent with you, we have discussed nothing but the development of Iru land and you have very grand ideas on how to turn this place around already.
“I am delighted and excited at the opportunities that are staring us in the face with you as our royal father,” Fayemi said. (NAN)
