The Royal Initiative for the Development Of Sagamu Community (RIDSCo) in conjunction with Lafarge Plc, has on Thursday, 20th October, 2022, commissioned the Eleyowo Culvert at Kara, Sagamu, graduated 49 beneficiaries of its Skills Acquisition Intervention Program and disbursed Seven Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (₦7,500,000) as Bursary Allowance to 100 indigent students across the public tertiary institutions in the country, who are indigenes of Sagamu Local Government area of Ogun State, Genesis Media House report.
At the commissioning of the Culvert held at the back of Muri Balogun’s house in Sabo axis of the town, the people of Eleyowo, Owode-Epota and Ariye Communities expressed their excitement for the construction of the culvert which connects them with Sabo Community.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiary communities, the Olori-Ilu of Eleyowo, Chief Adewale Soyemi thanked RIDSCo and the management of Lafarge for acceeding to their request on the culvert which he claimed had been an agelong project to them. Many people especially students had drowned in the river while crossing over using the hitherto narrowed plank bridge. But, with a wider concrete culvert which motorists could ply, the communities is opened to more economic activities, he resorted.
The Vice Chairman of Sagamu Local Government, Com Isiaka Salami while collaborating the Olori-Ilu, narrated the nasty experience he had on the plank bridge. He confirmed that all the projects of RIDSCo are essentially what the Local Government should provide. But, due to the lean purse of the Council, the Akarigbo and all Royal Fathers came together to give us RIDSCo. It is a thing to saddle a committee with fund, just as its another for them to make judicious use of such fund. In that regard, our appreciation goes to Sagamu and Remo for giving us an astute administrator in Olootu Oyedele, the Chairman of RIDSCo whose contributions to the development of this community is writtenin gold.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman of RIDSCo, Olootu Omoba M.O. Oyedele thanked the people for the encomium. He said, RIDSCo has no excuses than to deliver the assignment given to them by the community. He added that the culvert was constructed to ease the trafgic congestion at Sabo Market junction since most motorists from Ibelefun, Atoyo, including Ode-Lemo going to Lagos will make use of the culvert to Kara to link up with Oba Erinwole road and direct to their destinations. Also, he sited many cases of drowning reported on that axis as another factor considered to construct the culvert. He said, in spite of the fact that RIDSCo represents the whole of Sagamu Local Government communities, they will be fair and just in delivering prijects across the length and breath of Sagamu LG.
HRH Oba Alayeluwa Solomon Oyenuga, the Alariye of Ariye said he was amazed to see culvert because he never thought of it being constructed. He thanked RIDSCo and Lafarge for the construction. He attested to the activities of RIDSCo which hecsaid provided a borehole and 4 unit of toilets in his domain.
Those who graced the ceremony include the Olori-Ilus of Umure-Opaaro, Odo Luberu, Lisa of Ariye and Eleyowo, Lafarge management, RIDSCo Executive members, the two Youth leaders of SYA & NYCN, important dignitaries and well wishers.
At the Sagamu Civic Center on Oba Awolesi Erinwole Road, Sagamu where the presentation of bursary awards and tools to graduants were conducted, the beneficiaries, their families and friends could not hide their joy.
The Chairman of the Skills Acquisition Scheme, Engr Adebayo Osiberu while delivering his speech reported that the graduants were selected two years ago from the list of those who applied from the community. He stated further that the empowerment which covered training of citizens on several vocations and disbursement of start-up tools to the beneficiaries, as well as presentation of certificates to the graduants, was part of the efforts of HRM Akarigbo, all Royal Fathers in Sagamu Local Government and RIDSCo/Lafarge to reduce the rate of unemployment in the community. He gave the figure of the trainees who are graduating at the event as 49 with Fashion designing having 15 graduands, Hair dressing 17, Make-up 1, Welding 9, Plumbing 3, Electrical Rewinding 1, Electrical Repair 2 and Furniture 1. He also use the medium to appreciates HRM Akarigbo, RIDSco/Lafarge for putting smiles on humanity and for adding values by reducing the rate of unemployment in the community, as well as urged the beneficiaries to be proactive and truthful with their trade and also make use of the tools giving to them and serve as a good example to other Artisans.
The Consultant on the 2022 RIDSCo/Lafarge Bursary Awards Scheme, retired Principal, Otunba T.O. Saibu appreciated God for making this day possible. He informed the gathering that 312 students applied online and after sorting by eliminating double registrations, those not in the penultimate class and from Sagamu Local Government, the figure wwnt down to 198 who sat for the written test out which 99 students eventually qualified for the awards. He thanked RIDSCo/Lafarge for giving him and his team the opportunity to serve the community.
The Maintenance Manager of Lafarge Africa Plc, Sagamu Plant, Engr Edward Alabi who led Lafarge team to the ceremony congratulated beneficiaries of the two schemes and enjoined them to make the best use of the opportunity. He assured the community that Lafarge places high premium on human capital development and as such will continue to support the community in its bid to get more people especially the youths engaged to make them productive and useful to the community.
HRH Alayeluwa Oba M.S.L. Gisanrin, the Odofin of Soyindo stated that the best gift to any community is education either through formal or informal way. He went further that, as an educationist before becoming a Royal Father, he will never leave the field but will continue to champion the cause. He expressed satisfaction with the two schemes and encouraged the beneficiaries to go out there and conquer the world.
In his remarks, the Chairman of RIDSCo, Olootu Omoba M.O. Oyedele gave God all the glory. He told the gathering that the efforts might be small, but the impact is immeasurable to the community. He explained that education places important role in the any community. The higher the number of educated people in a community, the lower the level of ignorance, wants and poverty. He said it was on this premise that RIDSCo/Lafarge always works together to give more incentives to the sector. He described the incident of students sitting on bare floor to receive lessons in Batoro Community High School as shameful. He said, although, HRM Akarigbo has set up a committee to find lasting solutions to such problems in public schools in Sagamu Local Government, he confirmed that there is no public school in Sagamu Local Government which RIDSCo had not delivered a sizable number of iron dual lockers to, but the point is here for us to more in that aspect. He called on individuals to come to rescue the situation.
The ceremony was concluded with votes of thanks from two of the beneficiaries from each scheme.
A group photograph was taken with the beneficiaries of the bursary awards and the skills acquisition program.
Dignitaries at the ceremony are HRH Alayeluwa Oba M.S.L. Gisanrin, Odofin of Soyindo, Vice Chairman of Sagamu Local Government, Com Isiaka Salami, management of Lafarge led by Engr Edward Alabi accompanied by Engr Sunday Ajayi and Mr Adeolu Lamidi, RIDSCo Executive members led by Olootu Omoba M.O. Oyedele, SDA President and Secretary, the President of Sagamu Youth Association, Coordinator of National Youth Council of Nigeria, Trade Masters and well wishers.