EXCLUSIVE: Why People Of Amuwo-Odofin Won't Forget Me In A Hurry - LG Chairman, Engr. Valentine Oluseyi Buraimoh

Without a doubt, one of the most outstanding local government chairmen in Lagos state right now is Engr. Valentine Oluseyi Buraimoh. He is the Executive Chairman of Amuwo-Odofin local government and he has spent the last eight years or thereabout toiling hard to ensure he leaves Amuwo-Odofin a whole lot better than he met it. And if truth be told, Engr. Oluseyi Buraimoh has done incredibly well, engaging in massive road constructions, improving the health care system in the local government, empowering both the young and old and helping them start off small scale businesses and building structures and edifices that will stand the test of time. There’s no question about it, this extremely brilliant and proactive Chairman has impressed the good people of Amuwo-Odofin, meeting their expectations and in some cases, surpassing it.

This is why everyone in Amuwo-Odofin loves Engr. Oluseyi Buraimoh. Apart from the fact that he is passionate about bringing the dividends of democracy to the doorsteps of the people of Amuwo-Odofin, they also the fact that he is incredibly humble. He is also an unassuming and hardworking gentleman. Through out his tenure as chairman, he made himself accessible to the people. He listened to them every time they came to his office to make demands and he never failed to deliver on whatever he promises them. He made a reputation for himself as a man who follows his words with action, never failing to deliver on his promises to the people. Comrade Valentine Oluseyi Buraimoh would never promise to do for you what he knows he is not capable of doing. And this is precisely why the good people of Amuwo-Odofin don’t joke ith him. He enjoys tremendous support from the people.

Currently, he is only a couple of weeks from rounding off his tenure. Before the end of July when the coming local government elections would’ve been held, he would be handing over to the new chairman, hopefully someone from his party. Already, residents of Amuwo-Odofin, who have never stopped singing the praises of their chairman on account of the humongous projects he has undertaken and successfully completed, are now hoping his successor will be able to fill the big shoes he is going to leave behind.       

City People Senior Editor, WALE LAWAL (08037209290) had an engaging time with this very amiable gentleman after he picked up his award as the City People Most Outstanding Local Government Chairman of the Year award. The event took place at the Etall Hotels and Halls, Ikeja, Lagos. Here are excerpts.

Congratulations on the award you just received, sir. How do you feel at this time with this recognition coming from City People?

Well, I feel honored and I want to appreciate them for taking time to observe my performance at the public sector. And it shows, from the quality of other couple of people awarded here today, it shows that they did a good job to observe them doing these great things. In the next few weeks I'll be leaving the office. And when I look back at this award coming in the last two months in my office, it shows that to the glory of God, I've served the people of Amuwo Odofin very well. To the best of my knowledge and to the available sources at my disposal, I've been able to justify the spendings because we have embarked on numerous projects, particularly legacy projects. You see, I've constructed an ultra modern market in Amuwo Odofin that stands out as the best in Lagos state. Ditto the High court and Magistrsate court, you know, I'm the only council chairman that has built a Magistrate court and High court, you can confirm that.

The reason why I built a Magistrate court was that, in Amuwo Odofin, between Amuwo and Ori Ade, there is no magistrate court and Magistrate courts have more court cases than any other court. So, they go as far as Ajegunle, as far as Ojo and what have you. Now, the lawyers within the confines of that area have come to give me so much support for making their job easier, bringing their job closer to their doorstep and also improving the economy of Amuwo Odofin in terms of litigation and what have you. Same with the High court, we only have one High court in the whole Badagry division. Now, with this one coming up now, it will assist also all our lawyers that are going as far as Badagry for High court cases cited in Amuwo Odofin. So, you can see, I've been bringing the dividends of democracy to the doorstep of the people.

Also, I've constructed the LASIEC. It's just like Neighbourhood Watch. I know we've been talking about community policing and now, I was thinking ahead, that by the time it is established, they have an edifice they can use in Amuwo Odofin. And you know Amuwo Odofi is independent body. So they have a befitting edifice in Amuwo Odofin and that will improve also our security in Amuwo Odofni and its environment. Equally, we also built LASIEC office because normally, LASIEC always have a cubicle office in all council Secretariats. And I've heard that for transparency also, they can have an independent office outside the council, so they can conduct a free and fair and credible election without being harassed and intimidated. So they have their own offices, and that's why I cited also the security office there, so that they can provide security for them before, during and after election, so that we can have an independent election in Lagos state, particularly in Amuwo Odofin. Other projects that I embarked on are road construction, along with the drainage, street lights, and other drainage construction too.

We also have empowerment too. We have an education centre in Amuwo Odofin where we train our young ones, both young men and young women, in skills of their choice so that they do not continue wasting their time, not having anything to do. And that's why I also reduced the number of jobless people in the local government, which has led to the peaceful coexistence in the local government because everybody is engaged, doing one thing or the other, they are earning a living. And by so doing, people are preoccupied, people are busy instead of being engaged in social vices. And that has been established in Amuwo Odofin now, that it's one of the secure and safe areas to reside in Lagos state. So we are giving everything that we have at our disposal to carry all and sundry along with the council.

During the Endsars, Amuwo Odofin was not attacked, because the youth were carried along in our government. They are the ones that defended their area, chasing those people away. These are some of the things we have done in Amuwo Odofin in the area of carrying the youth along. They were engaged, For instance, like the council revenue, the ones that accrues to roads and what have you, we engaged them and by so doing too, they are making money. And they are the ones that are stopping people from committing violence within their enclave because they know that if the environment is not safe, their job too is not safe. But because they are engaged, they are able to feed their family. They are able to take care of people around them, so that has reduced crime, that has reduced the youth restiveness within the area, and also keeping them occupied.

It's something that they can earn a living with. So by so doing, we are able to bring them on board and also bring the ideas that will engage them, will support them financially, to establish their own business. Through SME, not even loans, grants, you can make money at your own expense. You can give back to where the grant was taken so that other people can benefit too. We give out POS, as part of their empowerment and so many other things. During the hunger strike, we were able to distribute paliatives on a regular basis to cushion the effect of the economic challenges amongst the less-privileged.

Tell us, sir, after you leave office in the next few weeks, what next?

Well, I am putting all hope in God. But for now, I need to rest. Serving for 8 years, at the grassroot level, is more tedious than being the governor of a state because at grassroot, anybody can approach you. It's a walking distance. But if you tell people to go from here to Ikeja to see the governor, it becomes tedious. But people can go with only one hundred naira transport, they can go to the council, and they must see you. You have vowed to serve them. People also come to my house in the morning. People come to my office to let me know their needs, what they expect from me and how I can be of help to them. Even on Sundays, they come to my church, that is grassroot for you. How many people can see the governor on Sunday? How many people can see a governor on a weekend? Even in the office? But grassroot is there. That is why grassroot is more tedious now and with the local government's autonomy now, the council has serious business to engage in now.

Two more questions, sir. Let me start from the council secretariat. I hear you have built one of the most impressive council secretariats in Lagos state, what inspired that?

Yes, Amuwo Odofin is a grade A local government in Lagos state, even in Nigeria. And it is a commercial centre. After Ikeja and maybe one other local government, the next is Amuwo Odofin. And we were using a bungalow as an office. I met a bungalow when I came on board. And I said no. I mean, we are more exposed than what we have today and I cannot do a building just for the sake of it, I had to look through various architectural designs before arriving at what we have now which I believe that in modern time Nigeria should succeed even City Hall. What I built is of higher elevation than City Hall. Though City Hall was built by state government, but this one is a pure masterpiece. I don’t want it to look like I am blowing my own trumpet but if you go to Amuwo, you will see what I’m talking about. It’s the biggest so far in Nigeria.

A couple of weeks ago, the local government primaries were held and I am sure that by now, the APC and flag bearer for the local government has emerged. What sort of synergy are you having with the party flagbearer? Is he your vice? Let me even be sure about that.

No, my vice returns as vice for the new chairman. So he is a running mate to the APC flagbearer.

Okay, so what sort of synergy are you having with him? Is he someone who has been part of the system?

He is. He ran for House of Reps. He lost in the general election. He won the ticket of the party and lost in the general election. So he has been known by the people, by the party and by the residents. And it is even good now that we are giving it to the popular candidates now because it will be easier for us now to win the election. And joining also with the vice, who is from Anambra, an Igbo person and you know, in Amuwo Odofin, we have good number of Igbos and we have been working together. So with the guy coming on board as vice now, it bring support from the eastern bloc, to our party, so that, come July 12th, we are going to take over the mantle of leadership in the election. We are going to come out victorious and by the grace of God, our party, the APC, we are going to win. And I have told him that he is a lucky person, that I am going to hand over to him an edifice, an edifice that I am proud of, for him to operate from.