When Lagos Reporters released its “300 Days in Office” performance ranking for all 20 LGs and 37 LCDAs in Lagos, one name stood out for the right reasons: Itire-Ikate Local Council Development Area.
We moved from 27th to 25th out of 57 councils with 10,350 points to our credit. Two steps upward may sound modest, but in governance those two steps are powerful. They represent months of planning, execution, and listening to residents. They represent a council that is learning, improving, and refusing to remain stagnant. Under the focused leadership of Hon. Oluwafemi Daniel Odunayo, Itire-Ikate is proving that steady progress is still progress.
This ranking was not based on guesswork or politics. Lagos Reporters scored every council on six critical areas: Health, Education, Infrastructure, Environment, Youth Empowerment, and Residents’ Opinions. That last metric is the most telling of all. When the people themselves say life is getting better, then leadership is working. The jump from 27th to 25th is the people’s verdict that things are changing in Itire-Ikate.
I have witnessed that change firsthand. Just days ago, our Chairman sat with Hon. Lanre Okunlola, Member representing Surulere Constituency II, CDC and CDA executives, APC Apex Leaders, Councillors, and community stakeholders. The agenda was clear: mobilize every resident for the ongoing INEC Continuous Voter Registration exercise. That meeting tells you everything about this administration’s priorities. Hon. Oluwafemi Daniel Odunayo understands that roads, drains, and health centers mean little if the people do not have a voice through their PVCs. He is building infrastructure and building citizens at the same time.
“This ranking is not a trophy for me. It is a responsibility,” the Chairman said. “Moving from 27th to 25th confirms that our approach of putting residents first, running an open government, and working with community structures is producing results. But I tell our people: this is just the beginning. Our goal is to keep pushing Itire-Ikate higher until every street, every household, and every young person feels the impact of good governance.”
The evidence is on the ground. In Health, outreaches have brought free check-ups and drugs closer to mothers, the elderly, and vulnerable residents. In Youth Empowerment, skills acquisition programmes are replacing idleness with opportunity. In Environment, proactive drainage clearing and sanitation drives have reduced flooding risks as the rains set in. In Education, partnerships with schools and support for learning materials are strengthening the foundation of our children. These are not one-off projects. They are consistent efforts that improve daily life and how residents rate their council.
Critics will compare us to councils at the very top of the table. That is fair. But leadership is not about where you start, it is about direction and speed. We started at 27th. Today we are 25th. That upward trajectory shows a solid foundation being laid. It shows accountability, transparency, and community partnership are no longer slogans here – they are practice.
Governance is a marathon, not a sprint. If residents continue to partner with this administration the way we did during the CVR mobilization, if CDC and CDA leaders keep bridging government and grassroots, then 25th today will become 20th, 15th, and higher tomorrow.
Itire-Ikate is doing well. The data from Lagos Reporters says so. The residents are beginning to feel it. And under Hon. Oluwafemi Daniel Odunayo, I am convinced the best chapters of our LCDA are still being written.
Kudos to our Chairman. Kudos to every resident and stakeholder making this progress possible. Forward ever, backward never.
PST LEO OFFOR
Chief Press Secretary to Hon. Oluwafemi Daniel Odunayo
Office of the Executive Chairman
Itire–Ikate Local Council Development Area
