In an exclusive Interview with the immediate past Chief of staff in Amuwo Odofin local government area, Mr Jimi Shobayo, told the Editor of the Sky Link Newspaper Nwosu Jennifer and Patrick Ujomu a reporter of Sky Link Newspaper, that the present chairman of of Amuwo Odofin local government, Mr Valentine Buraimoh zero record in the area of infrastructure and healthy sector, expert….
What’s your name sir?
My name is Jimi Shobayo the immediate past Chief of staff in Amuwo Odofin local government in the administration of Valentine Buraimoh
Who are you in Amuwo Odofin local government area?
I served in the last two administration in the local government.
I also served as a special adviser to Ayo Adewale, fashosho and James he also served as immediate past senior staff to Valentine Buraimoh the present chairman of the local government..
How come you are the immediate past of the present chairman while he is still office, are their any differences between you both?
I quit politics for the time being and concentrate in some things, will come back when the next dispensation will take place .
Do you have any interest in contesting for any post in the local government?
I am still consulting, by the time am through with consulting i will decide on what to do.
How do you rate the present Administration performances?
The present Administration has tried but man can not do more than his ability.
What do you think is problem facing the community and the local government at large and how can it be tackled?
Well, presently in Amuwo Odofin local government there is lack of infrastructures, for instance roads, hospital, social amenities, also the health sector is threatened with lack of drugs, unlike how it was before, poor electricity, there is no more 24 hours unlike the previous government, no talent hunt, sports activity is zero unlike the previous government
How do you think these problems could be tackled?
It can only be tackled when he put a round bird in a round hole.
As a past Chief of staff to the local government chairman, what did you put in place when you were working with him to make sure that all this things are being put in place?
You can only advice somebody that will listen to you, not somebody that has mindset of knowing everything, and majority of local government chairmen today believe that they know it all.
They are not ready to listen to anybody forgetting that every office have a time frame.
That is if the political class of Amuwo-Odofin local government can be truthful to themselves they would confirm it to you that I tried all i could to make the present government to be more people oriented.
Could you please differentiate the difference between administration of the past Local government chairman Ayo Adewale and the administration of the present local government chairman Valentine Buraimoh?
Like I told you, I served in the two administrations, Ayo Adewale laid a good foundation for Amuwo-Odofin local government, but Buraimoh destroyed it, what you are seeing today in festac is not the dream of the founder of Festac.
Festac today is where anybody can sell on the walk way and park on the walk way the way they want and no body will challenge them, during Ayo Adewale time is an offense for you to park on the walk way, but today’s administration everything is upside down, Festac needs remodeling, Re-fixing.
People now compare the two administration, saying Ayo Adewale tried but his problem is pride.
To me maybe another government might come and surpass what Ayo Adewale might have done but for now there is no reason for comparison.
During Ayo Adewale time the Age from 60yrs old, from 0-16 are receiving free medical, the health sector runs for 24 hours with light, Ayo Adewale see to the neatness of environment, that is why if people hear the name of Ayo Adewale they became because he doesn’t allow throwing of dirty anyhow.
What do you think could cause Valentine a deaf ear on not giving listening ears to his people?
As a journalist you can ask him the question. Because am not Valentine Buraimoh, i am Jimmy Shobayo.
Smile! Do you advice Valentine to emulate the immediate past administration Ayo Adewale?
Am not saying he should emulate the past government but he should do the needful as far as the local government is concerned, he is an engineer and also my friend, he has a good heart but being surrounded by nonchalant people that doesn’t want him to work.
He has the zeal and also has vision for the local government, he surrounded himself with clueless people, we might have our own difference today but I will still give one kudos to him, he brought about peace to the local government, in terms of governance he should dig deep and let the general, community, people that voted him, to feel more of dividend of democracy.
You didn’t direct his non performance on education, are you saying he has done enough in education sector?
In the area of education he has done his best, but health sector and infrastructures development there is nothing to write home about.
He is campaigning for second time, you being the past immediate chief of staff, what is your take on that?
Power belong to God and He chooses to give anybody at the appropriate time.
What advice do you have for the youth of the local government?
I will advise them to look forward on what they can do to make the country great, not always what the country can do for them.
My advice the youths is to be an entrepreneur of their own and look forward on how they will affect the country positively frankly youths are the future of the country.
Local government election is coming up soon, what message do you have for the people of the party.
They should know that the service is not about their selves but serving the public, our party should look for somebody that can reconnect the party system, masses, somebody that Amuwo-Odofin runs in his blood not somebody that stays in Amuwo-Odofin, somebody that can bring development and enhance the youth around them.
Korede Bello started his music in Amuwo-Odofin fiesta
Finally what do you have to say on the issue of insecurity in Amuwo?
The issue of security goes beyond local government, there is general insecurity in the country.
I will advice everyone to be mindful of where they go we should always be at alert.