Youth development and empowerment are germane issues to the growth of every local government and Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA is no exception. In this exclusive interview with the LCDA’s chairman, Dr. Lukmon Agbaje Abiodun with ACADA Magazine’s publisher, Abiodun Caston-Dada, the Chairman highlights his achievement so far, his visions and dreams to empower the youths of the local government, his plans to make sure the people enjoy better life and dividends of democracy.
Can you share with us the achievements the LCDA have recorded so far since you assumed office?
To start with, my name is Dr. Lukmon Agbaje Abiodun. The Executive Chairman of Ayob-Ipaja Local Development Council. Our administration assumed office on July 29, 2025 and till date we have done nine road full constructions. When I mean full construction, I mean roads with drainage and street lights. Aside from this, we were able to purchase ten transformers and give to the areas that they are been needed in our LCDA. In terms of security, we purchased two patrol vans which were donated to the two police stations in our community, that is, Ayobo and Ipaja police stations. Then in terms of education, we were able to purchase G.C.E. forms for the indigent students within our LCDA, so also, JAMB/UTME application forms for this 2026 admission year. In terms of social welfare, we have been able to place 100 elderly people on N100,000 monthly allowance within our LCDA. These are some of the things we have been able to do in less than one year in office among many other programmes we are working on to bring better life to the people within our LCDA.
How are you keying into the Federal Government’s programmes like the Free Technical Education and the NELFUND Student Loans?
Thank you very much for this question. In this regard, I have to give it to the federal government for this initiative, I mean the NELFUND Student Loans. At every opportunity and gatherings that we have used to have in this LCDA we normally sensitise the people about this initiative and encourage our students to key into it. Once you’ve gained admission into a higher institution and your admission is being verified by your school, if you are unable to raise money for your schooling, you can easily apply for the student loan. And once this is approved, your tuition will be paid by the government alongside a monthly stipend for your upkeep.
Also we encourage parents to register their wards into the Federal Technical Schools since it is free, and it even comes with I think a N40,000 monthly stipends. When you look at it, this is a very good opportunity young people can exploit because once you graduate from the technical school you can start operating and easily establish yourself instead of going around looking for a White Collar job.
What is your take about today’s youths and their complaints of unemployment?
One thing about today’s youths is that they believe that they can get it all at once rather than starting small and building it gradually. It is not the day you give birth that the child will start walking. It is a gradual process. For me, I will advise many young people out there to take up skill acquisition and vocational studies that can enable them to become an entrepreneur. Even if you go to school and you’re a graduate, you still need to learn a skill, because the truth is, it is not everyone that can get a white collar job. Once you’re entrepreneurial you will be able to do some other things aside from what you read in school. Even your education will help you in packaging yourself and position your business.
How is your LCDA tackling the issues of Youth unemployment? What are the opportunities you are providing for the youths for them to be gainfully employed?
On the issue of youth empowerment in our LCDA, for now we are still working on creating a long lasting project that will be results oriented because my belief is that anything worth doing is worth doing well and not just doing for the sake of doing it. We have many projects on youth empowerment we will be kick-starting before the end of the year. Again for this year, I think the programme is already on and by April we should be having the grand finale. It’s a beauty pageant but with a difference, Miss Ayobo-Ipaja. This programme is not just about beauty parades alone, we are tying it into environmental issues using it as a platform to sensitise the people on how to dispose their waste and stop the indiscriminate disposal of waste and refuse which has become an eyesore to the community. So we will be using this beauty pageant to educate people in the community about the importance of environmental sanitations and rightful disposal of waste.
Is the LCDA having plans for Skill Acquisitions for youths in the local government? Because still acquisition is one important area that cannot be ignored.
Definitely yes. As part of our programme for this year we have already acquired land to build a skill acquisition center in our local government that will be a training ground for many young people.
Drug abuse is becoming rampant among young Nigerians, what is your LCDA doing to address this?
On this drug abuse issue I will only use this platform and opportunity to appeal to young people and for them to desist from it because it’s a life and dream destroyer. Already there are NDLEA, CSIB and many agencies working in curbing the young people from this, but we will from time to time key into their various programmes to create awareness on the negative effect of drugs and its abuses.
The general elections are coming soon but many youths don’t seem to show keen interest. How is the local government encouraging youths to come out and perform their civic duties by voting?
Part of the encouragement we are giving is to enlighten the youths about the importance of voting. And we’ve been encouraging them to participate in the CVR, continuous Voters Registration programme. Because you can be voted for or be able to vote, you must first register and have your PVC, Permanent Voter’s Card.
Many people have lost trust in the government, even when they have good policies and plans. How do you think the government can build trust in the citizens, especially young Nigerians?
The main thing that can make people gain government’s trust is for them to see the dividend of democracy through good governance. Because as an elected officer, be it the Governor or a Local Government Chairman, once the citizens are seeing various projects that touch their lives and make life better, and seeing that the government is doing good things and what they are supposed to do I believe people will have the belief and the trust in the government. But in a situation whereby the people are not enjoying the dividend of democracy tricking down to the people there will be animosity towards the government and this is why some people will condemn the government.
