From Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
ila-Orangun in Osun State was agog recently when the less privileged in the community trooped out in their numbers to the city hall. They were there to take delivery of lifeline items worth millions of naira, which they described as “our own dividends of democracy.”
At the premises of the Igbomina City Hall, venue of the event, hundreds of items including mini buses, generators, sewing machines, dryers, vulcanising machines and grinding machines were for distribution to the beneficiaries to help them eke out a living. About 150 bags of rice were also part of the largesse distributed to some selected people who preferred foodstuff.
They considered them “our own dividends of democracy” because they were provided free by Clement Akanni, lawmaker representing Ila Constituency in the state House of Assembly. Beneficiaries were mostly artisans such as barbers, hairdressers, vulcanisers, fashion designers and drivers.
He said the gesture was a fulfillment of his campaign promise “to make life better for the people of the constituency, especially the less privileged at the grassroots.” He assured them that he would not rest “in guaranteeing dividends of democracy to the people and bring government closer to them.” He disclosed that the beneficiaries were selected based on their basic needs and irrespective of their political affiliations and associations.
Altogether, 11 mini buses were distributed to drivers, while 42 farmers were given mechanized farming tools. Different amounts of money were also doled out to 220 traders and widows to boost their trades and businesses.
An orphan, Dele Ajayi, said Akanni helped him to earn a living as a barber: “I thank God for the life of our honourable. He is the type of people we need in government. I mean people who have the interest of the people, especially the poor masses, at heart.
“He has buttered my bread for me. He gave me hope as I have got free barbing tools that I need to do something for myself to survive, especially because of the recession.
“There is money in barbing business, especially if you have big men as your customers. Also there are big boys around who come to the salon even up to two times in a week for different styles of hair cut.
We charge nothing less than N200 and above these days. If you have up to 10 or more customers in a day, you can imagine how much you will make per day. This can be better than salary that may not even come sometimes. I am very happy. I thank God. May God bless our honourable.”
Another beneficiary, Miss Jamiu Zainab: “When I finished secondary school two years ago, I never dreamt of looking for any collar job since I could not go for further studies because of my poor family background. My dream was to learn hairdressing.
“When I finished, my worry was how I could buy my working tools, especially dryer and to rent a shop. But I thank God for using our honourable to give me one free today. That is the first tool I need to start with. I can even start from home to make small money from the customers I knew during training until I can rent a shop for myself.”
Akanji Olawale, a bus driver: “I have been in driving business all my life. But I could not afford to buy a bus or ‘kabukabu’. Sometimes, I hired bus and hustle for money. Whenever I close from work, I deliver the money to the owner. But the money I take home is small whereas I am the one that suffer to make the money. The owner of the bus enjoys the money more. So, I can’t achieve anything.
“But I thank God that he has used our lawmaker to bless me with a mini bus. I can now use it as my own and benefit from it. I believe life will be better for me henceforth. I won’t feel the pain of recession too much again like before.”
Shola Adekeye, a Lagos-based teacher, said: “It is a good thing that we now have a big library in this town now. When I come home to spend weekend or holiday, I can go there to do some research since the school where I teach in Lagos does not have a rich library.
“This is a good place where one can do some research and improve one’s knowledge. Instead of wasting time, one can always go to the library and have a nice time reading interesting books. It is a great achievement for our town.”