First Five Things 'Emir' will do When He Features in the 10th Assembly

By Abraham Daniel

The Member of Lagos State House of Assembly, representing the good people of Ojo Constituency 02 is popularly addressed as Emir. He is, officially, known as Hon. Surajudeen Olatunji Tijani. The current Assembly is the 9th where he is the Chairman of House standing Committee on House Services. The 10th however is expected to commence later in 2023 upon the March 9 election and eventual inauguration of the Assembly. 

When elected, he will become a Ranking Member of the Assembly. In such status, a Member of the Assembly is more prospective, with heightened power and responsibilities. Emir, in the ongoing 9th Assembly, had done more that will necessarily earn him a re-election which he seeks. He seems to have penchant for charity and development of his people. His scope is necessarily unlimited. He captures, in his programmes, the aged and young; teachers and students , professionals and artisans, as well as politicians and technocrats. When he features in the 10th Assembly, he may first give preference to the following developmental engagements and programmes.

1. Facilitation of approval and construction of feeder roads. Though in the ongoing 9th Assembly, Emir had facilitated the construction of the Era-Ilogbo bridge which had created job opportunities for young adults and eased vehicular and pedestrian movement in this strategic route of the Constituency, he definitely intends to do more. In addition to the palliative measures which came at personal cost and had eased the burden of road users in feeders roads across Constituency, Emir had equally facilitated the approval of a number of critical linkage roads. When re-elected, he will facilitate construction of roads he had pushed for approval. Having secured approval for Oke Agbo, Abule-Ajangbadi Afromedia roads, he intends to push for onward construction even before the expiration of the 9th Assembly. Hon. Surajudeen intends to push for the approval of the Ketu-Adaloko road; Era road, Ilemba-Igbede road, Imude-Orisa road and Adio-Ayetoro. It is his hope that the approval and construction of these roads will not only edify the transportation system but will increase the rate of doing business in the Constituency.

2. Empowerment scheme for artisans and owners of small scale businesses. While Emir demonstrated his unalloyed love for small business owners in the 2022 Stakeholders Town Hall meeting at Ilogbo Elegba Community Town Hall, when he empowered over 250 women through funding, he promised to do more. At the event, he saw the need to support more business owners, so he gave his words to do more even before the expiration of the 9th Assembly. But he will do more in the 10th Assembly. He is aware of the need to empower artisans and entrepreneurs with requisite equipments and tools. Artisans, entrepreneurs and owners of small scale businesses should be expectant in the coming legislative Assembly. Sewing machines for tailors; generating set and clippers for barbers, nets for fishermen, dryer for hairdressers, tricycle and motorcycles for commercial transporters, and many more will be the high point of the empowerment.

3. Special intervention in riverine communities. The riverine section of Ojo Constituency 02 will be of higher priority in the coming years, but Emir had not taken the constituents in this section for granted in the past. He constructed two large canoes and gifted students and teachers with life jackets to ease movement on the water bodies. He repaired the damaged section of the bridge linking Ese-Ofin with other riverine communities. Emir gifted and mounted tens of solar street light in Taffi and neighboring communities. The recent Erekun electrification is transformed the fortunes of the community. But Emir will do more in the 10th Assembly. He had identified a number of communities in the Ese-Ofin; Irewe, and Taffi Wards for similar gesture. He just called it 'Light Up Project'. A number of communities have been identified too, for construction of pipe borne water. The one on-going in Idoluwo will be completed; while a study is in progress to identify communities needing same intervention. 

4. Bursary award to undergraduate students. Emir had earlier instituted intervention for selected post graduate students. In addition to the State and Local Council's bursary award, Emir has resolved to institute Special Bursary Award for Undergraduate Students across the Constituency. He has proven, overtime, his unbridled love for formal education. He has demonstrated this through his Education Support Initiative, where he has gifted over three thousand Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, forms to students. He registered these candidates for same examination and organised tutorials for them in addition. For this largesse, he is propelled to cushion the effect of the funding burden that is sure to follow upon admission.

5. Youth Centre. Emir had resolved to facilitate the possible construction of a Youth Centre. He is aware of the Centre at Shibiri-Ekunpa Area Office of Oto Awori Local Council Development Area. He knows it's moribund and needing interventions that could revitalise it. He may commit efforts to revitalise this on the one hand, and advocate for the a new and encompassing Centre, considering the prevailing exigencies. What more for a proactive legislator, who is committed to the development of his people, outside the conventional job of representation and legislation.