Group on Peace Walk Rally, tasks Ikorodu residents on PVC, community development

Emeka Ibemere

It was like an endurance trek when a social, economic and political group known as Ikorodu Trailblazers took to the streets in and around Ikorodu Local Government Area on sensitisation programme to wake their neighbourhood up to use the extended time for the election to go for their Permanent Voter’s Card, PVC.

The group which comprises of technocrats, administrators and professionals staged a ‘Peace Walk Rally’ which took them round the nooks and crannies of Ikorodu community of Lagos State, as their own contribution towards free, fair and violent-free elections.

Ikorodu Trailblazers, which is also an affiliate of the opposition party, the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the state took the duty to also asked Lagos and Ikorodu residents to be part of community development effort in their areas rather than waiting on the government to provide everything for them.

Speaking with journalists, the Coordinator of the Group, Princess Folashade Olabanji-Oba said the Walk is to ensure positive change in Lagos State and Ikorodu land.

Speaking on the objective of the Walk, Olabanji –Oba stated; “It is to get our people to participate in the community development. It is very important, instead of people waiting for the Government; we need to take our destiny in our hands. That is why we as a group called the Trailblazer; made sure we go out there; to educate people on the need for them to exercise their right especially in this next election”, she added.

“That is why we came out with ‘Peace Walk Rally’ recently,
which is all about moving from one community to the other in other to achieve our aim. More so, we are trying to tell them that our great
party is the change they want. Meanwhile, all of us in this group are APC members, our major purpose is to work for the effectiveness of our community in Ikorodu, that we must ensure peace in this transition period and go all out there to vote for our great party so that we can continue the good job we have started, and also to make sure that our votes count”.

Olabnaji-Oba also said that the group has actually gone round the
community to educate the people on the need to collect their
Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs saying, “We are very happy with the
response of the people. But we as the Trailblazers, we have been able
to convince the people that their vote is their right, thank God, so
many of them have made up their minds  to go out there and vote due to our persistence conviction. On the postponement of the elections, she said that it was a tough decision to swallow but said that she prays that the shift would ensure better preparation for election.

Olabanji –Oba further called on the people that their PVC is also a weapon in their hands to make the right decision, especially in the next four years.

“So we the APC members can continue the good work we have been doing in Lagos state. Because, Lagos state is not just called the centre of excellence, it is called that because of the good work we the APC have been doing, so we want people to come out and vote for APC”, she said.
According to her, the rally was indeed successful adding that it witnessed a very good turnout from the people of Ikorodu.

 She also explained that the Group want the people of Ikorodu to know that they have a good plan for the masses of Ikorodu because such was the reason why they came out with the concept of sensitising the Ikorodu residents by the organisation just to prove that Ikorodu community could be peaceful.

“It takes just the mindset that we don’t need to be violent, Ikorodu especially is an indigenous community, meaning that we are all related to one another, we are brothers and sisters, even the non-indigenes among us, they have come to stay, moreover, they are part of us, they are happy living in Ikorodu, that is why Ikorodu is growing rapidly”, she explained.

“The message out there was to prove that things can be done accordingly instead of instituting violence, our rally was peaceful, and people were very happy with the rally, it was successful. We are the change that Nigerians and the people of Ikorodu are waiting for, because in Lagos State, we have pathway which we are working at”.

According to her, the Walk was used to call on people that there is need for them to vote Akinwumi Ambode for continuity of greater excellence in the state and provide a change at the centre by voting Buhari / Osinbajo.

 “We are good resource managers, touching lives, and adding value in the land of Ikorodu and we have different programmes which are geared towards achieving our aims in the land”.

 According to her, the Group are also closer to the people and works as a think-tank to the people.
Olabanji -Oba said the leader of the Group, Hon. Lanre Balogun, a
two times commissioner in Lagos state has enlightened the members on how to meet the needs of the people in Ikorodu.

“And when we talked about need, I am not just talking about only infrastructure but also the knowledge of what is good for them as an individual in their environments”.
She said Senator Tinubu during his own tenure was a trailblazer and the pathfinder of the state while she said Babatunde Raji Fashola is the actualiser, and has already taking the people of Lagos State to the next level.

“You can see with your eyes, hear with your ears, now we have an incoming Governor who is the consolidator, Akinwumi Ambode, who is ready to make the people of Lagos state to be happier. I believe strongly we are the agent of change that the people are waiting for in this country, not just any how change, positive and innovative change that what the party is ready to give”, she claimed.