Mainstreaming Good Governance in Ogun West

Olubunmi Omoogun chronicles the legislative and constituency interventions of Senator Tolu Odebiyi

Around the world development has always been measured by using the Human Development Index (HDI) ) by the United Nations. Education which  stands out among the indices to measure development was one of the pick by the Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District in the National Assembly,  Tolu Odebiyi,  a first timer in the Red Chamber adding to global development in terms of per capita.

His interventions in other areas of governance have also been hugely applauded by his Constituents and interestingly enough, by his colleagues at the 9th Nigerian Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Setting a standard, Senator Tolu Odebiyi right from the get-go instituted the Tolu Odebiyi Scholarship Foundation awards to cater for the tuition fees of brilliant but economically disadvantaged students of Ogun West descent in public tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Over the past three years, this selfless initiative has yielded positive results as hope keep rising for more indigent students who have benefited immensely from the scholarship awards.

Some of them have even gone further to enjoy full-time employment opportunities, courtesy of the Tolu Odebiyi Foundation that guided the beneficiaries through school and crowned it with job opportunities in Africa’s leading fintech companies.

As a son of educationists, Odebiyi placed premium on Education and believe that all hands must be on deck and no stone must be left  unturned in helping the youth to acquire quality education.

The Senator who has been tagged the Pride Of Ogun West by his people, has constructed many public schools with newly constructed intra school road system, installed water/solar powered street lights projects across the five  Local Government Areas that make up Ogun West Senatorial District and empowered many people including vulnerable women and youths from his beloved Ogun West Senatorial District.

Following difficulties encountered by prospective candidates for the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examination and the West African Examinations Council and in order to ease the pains of the people within the Ilaro environs with regards to issues relating to the National Identification Number (NIN), the Senator again came to the rescue of his people as he facilitated NIN registration Centre in Egbado College in Ilaro, Ogun State, after engaging the executive arms of government.

In the fourth quarter of 2021, the Senator achieved another feat no Senator from Ogun West has ever achieved with the successful inclusion in the Nigerian Constitution of the bill for an act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 CAP C23 LFN 2004, to make provision for change of name of the area referred to as ‘Egbado’ to ‘Yewa’ in Ogun State as contained in the First Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended) 2020 (SB. 357). The factor of name is, no doubt, rooted in historical traditions which the ‘Egbado’ people of Ogun West Senatorial District have consistently demanded to be addressed as ‘Yewa’.

Also, as an inspirational and uncommon parliamentarian, he sponsored more than 15 impactful Bills.

Among them are: The Bill on Chartered Institute of Mortgage Bankers and Brokers of Nigeria (CIMBBN) to regulate the practice of mortgage banking activities in Nigeria.

The Bill for an act to provide for the establishment of the National burns and rehabilitation centre Ilaro, Ogun State to provide intensive treatment, provide the rehabilitative needs of burns victims with the help of capable hands in the treatment of burns related injuries.

A Bill for an act to establish the National Institute for Border studies, Imeko, Ogun State. To provide for teaching, research, instruction and training of Students in Border Management.

A Bill for an act to establish The National Institute Of Food Technology Entrepreneurship And Management, Aiyetoro, Ogun State, to provide for teaching, instruction and training of students in food processing, preservation and entrepreneurship management and for other related matters.

A Bill for an act to establish The Federal Vocational And Skills Acquisition College, Iboro, Ogun State.

A Bill for an act to amend  the National Youth Service Corps Act And Other Related Matters.

A Bill for an act to establish The Chartered Institute Of Administrators And Registrars Of Nigeria Universities.

The Federal College Of Education (Technical) Ipokia, Ogun State Bill, 2020

A Bill for an act to establish the Chartered Risk Management Institute of Nigeria, seeking to professionally arm risk managers in the country with the appropriate legal and legislative instrument to function optimally.

The Bill for an act to establish the Federal vocational and skills acquisition training college in Ota, Ogun State.

He has also received accolades from smallholder  farmers for his swift intervention in providing farm inputs and seeds to farmers, to help boost agro-business during and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Ogun West Senatorial District.

This was done as part of his advocacy in lobbying critical stakeholders in the agriculture sector.

-Omoogun wrote from Abuja