Ibraheem Balikeez Aderoju: Golden Girl Of Community Representation In Ikorodu North LCDA

Ibraheem Balikeez Aderoju: Golden Girl Of Community Representation In Ikorodu North LCDA

Ibraheem Balikeez Aderoju: Golden Girl Of Community Representation In Ikorodu North LCDA

Honourable Ibraheem Balikeez Aderoju, Majority Leader, Ikorodu North LCDA
Honourable Ibraheem Balikeez Aderoju, Majority Leader, Ikorodu North LCDA

Elected under the banner of the ruling All Progressives Congress, to represent Ward E4 Olorunda in Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area, Ibraheem Balikeez Aderoju, is fast redefining youth engagement in politics particularly at the grassroots level.

The first female Councillor to be elected in Ward E4 since the Ikorodu North LCDA was created in October, 2003 along with 37 others, has been setting pace in community engagements. Even though she doubles as the Majority Leader of the Council, Ashally as fondly called by her admirers remains well connected with the electorates.

Her major concern is how to impact many people positively despite her meagre salary. Concerned about the state of infrastructure in schools in her ward, Balikeez saved up her salary to construct furnitures; chairs and desk for pupils St. Saviour Anglican Primary School, Gbaja, a gesture that didn’t go unnoticed as the state government under Akinwunmi Ambode complimented her efforts with additional chairs and desk to the school.

Honourable Balikeez with Salako Sekinah Oluwadarasimi and Adesina Azeezat, the two students she facilitated scholarships for
Honourable Balikeez with Salako Sekinah Oluwadarasimi and Adesina Azeezat, the two students she facilitated scholarships for

“I was torched when I went to the school and found pupils sitting on the floor, as somebody who passed through same public school system, I was deeply torched, I felt something needs to be done no matter how small,” said while speaking on phone to BlackBox Nigeria corespondent.

 

A product of Muslim A Primary School, Etuneren and United High School in Ikorodu, Ibraheem Balikeez Aderoju, earlier in the year secured a six year scholarships for two pupils in her Constituency courtesy of Alhaji Tairu Amusa (HOMAT); one Nursery 2 pupil who lost his father and another brilliant senior Secondary school student who could not afford to pay her school fees. In addition, she distributed over 2,500 notebooks to students in Ikorodu North LCDA.

Asked if being a Muslim has anything to do with the way she carry’s her representing her people, Balikeez said it might not be far from the truth,”being a Muslim, I am posed to have compassion and love for my fellow human beings. Many times, people say I am too truthful, that I would not last in politics. I just tell them if this the only time I will serve, I want to leave a good mark.”

While her colleagues are awaiting their salaries for August as it has been delayed, Ashally was distributing White Socks to pupils who just resumed for the 2018/2019 academic session. By the time Balikeez and her team emptied their sack, 540 pairs of socks had been distributed. 

 

Hon Balikeez distributing socks to school children

It is not about doing big projects, it is about impacting in a little way. Putting joy on the faces of the pupils was her satisfaction. “Imagine the school just resumed and some pupils cannot not even afford to wear socks.”

Call her beauty and brain and you wouldn’t have been wrong, however, humility must be added to her qualifying words. Currently a student of Business Administration at the Lagos State Polytechnic, Balikeez combines schooling with her lawmaking responsibilities.

 

In her kind heart, Ashally facilitated the renovation of the Lagos State micro scheme water that has been abandoned and ruined at Araromi ward E4 and also the reconstruction of a bore-hole at Gbaga and an extensions to Saint savior Anglican primary school gbaga through the Local council under Hon Adeola Adebisi Banjo.

Because she knows the value of power to the development of the local economy, she facilitated the procurement of transformer for Mojoda axis in olorunda through the Member House of Representatives representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency, Hon Babajimi Benson. While also spearheading the rehabilitation of roads in Olorunda by the duo of Hon Babajimi Benson MHR and Hon Adeola Adebisi Banjo, Chairman, Ikorodu North LCDA.

Her concern is the comfort of her constituents, once they are happy, she is happy

Knowing the effect of hunger, Balikeez on regular basis keeps a sack of grains specifically rice in her house for members of the community who cannot afford it. Her mantra is,’never to let people leave her house without providing little succour to ameliorate their hunger’. “Hunger is real, only those who have experience it can understand it,” she said with a soft trace of smile around her cheekbones. She is a lady who knows where the shoe pitches.

 

On weekends, the council lawmaker joins the youths to play football at the community makeshift stadium. It is her way of getting close to the people,”I always feel the urge to be close to the people. I join them on the field on weekends, take bite of meat with boys on the street, take Okada around. I do not see being a councilor as a superior position, I see it as a bridge to connect with the people.”

 

Hon Balikeez, Yeye Oge of Araromi in Ward E4, Ikorodu North
Hon Balikeez, Yeye Oge of Araromi in Ward E4, Ikorodu North

With a firm resolve, Ashally is fast becoming the golden girl in her community and people are noticing. One of such is the National Union of Tailors in Ikorodu North. The union of fashion designers in a letter written to her have decided to make her the Yeye Oge of Araromi in Ward E4, Ikorodu North on October 1, in celebration of the Nigeria’s independence. She has also been awarded the Most Promising Youth for Leadership in Ikorodu North LCDA by the Ikorodu Amazons Recognition Award.

editor

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3 Comments

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  • Rhoca , September 11, 2018 @ 11:02 pm

    May Allah continue to bless her good and kind heart towards her people🙏

  • Olatunbosun Oke , September 12, 2018 @ 6:15 am

    Yeehhh! Dats my friend, may God continue to give you wisdom and increase you all ways, thanks sis and God bless you. Bosun

  • ibraheem muslim , September 30, 2018 @ 2:12 pm

    You are really a wonderful workerholic councillor we all believe that is only Almighty Allah that can reward u, what u have achieved within your first year in the office cannot be compared with what those that spent good 6 years in office pointed as their achievements. Wel the story will write it self keep it on my honourable, please don’t forget we youth in ur administration

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