Zika Bobby
Chairman of Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area, Fatai Ayeola, has promised a new Ajegunle, a new phase that would bring an end to poor healthcare and illiteracy. He is pledging a rebranded Ajegunle devoid of crime and drug abuse, making it the pride of Lagos.
Speaking at the official briefing of the New Ajegunle project at the council secretariat, Ayeola said the “See Something, Say Something” initiative of the police and local government was has helped reduce crime and drug abuse; he called on parents to be proactive in bringing up their children.
Ayeola said the fight against drug abuse and crime was top in the New Ajegunle agenda.
“There is power in a name, and we hope that, with hard work, cooperation and proper community policing, Ajegunle would be truly redefined. Research has shown that names are very powerful and have a direct impact on people, places and things that they are applied to, directly or indirectly. This can also be said of notable places across the world that were also renamed at the time of restructuring and development. Renaming the city of Ajegunle is a starting point to solidifying the plans for changing the narrative of this ever-vibrant and dynamic city, and placing it on the world map, where its contemporaries can begin to appreciate the abundance of wealth resident in its citizens and how they have contributed to national development at every level. The renaming strategy is targeted at changing people’s perception of this city and drawing their attention towards what makes it new in itself, thereby strategically placing pointers to the change ongoing currently in the city in the bid to place it on the world map,” he said.
The council boss noted that there were communities named Ajegunle in Ikorodu, Mowe and a street in Ikeja and some other locations, stressing that renaming the city would automatically differentiate it from others.
He said the New Ajegunle project is built on 11 pillars, with everybody in the community having one role or the other to play.
“In this new project, fight against crime, drug abuse and sound education for our kids are key elements. We are going to build a New Ajegunle, where every child will have equal access to learning and learning opportunities. There would be widespread wealth emerging from creativity and productivity in the entertainment sector. Don’t forget that Ajegunle is the home of entertainment in Africa. We are going to start living as a people, devoid of nepotism, ethnic/tribal segregation or religious/political divide. In the New Ajegunle, it is going to be one voice, one people,” he said.
One of the brains behind the project, Prince Ogaga Wowo said, beyond the renaming, there are a lot of infrastructural and structural developments going on, even as he lauded the council boss for taking development to the grassroots, saying, “In this journey, we hope to redesign our communities so that, within the next three years, the New Ajegunle would be known for its wonders and uniqueness.”
He stated that, this year, there would be a New Ajegunle flag and logo, the launch of the New Ajegunle website, a New Ajegunle Awards/Hall of Fame, a toll gate linking Ajegunle to Apapa and a New Ajegunle all-stars unity song, among others.