Elected leaders have been called upon to ensure that the dividends of democracy reach the grassroots, in order to make life more comfortable for the ordinary masses in the country.
The convener of Make Ogun State Great Again (MOGA), Pastor Kayode Olawoye, made this call in Ota during the inauguration of the group.
Pastor Olawoye stated that elected leaders, who hold the mandates of the people, should provide basic amenities such as fixing bad roads, ensuring electricity supply, providing potable water, and improving other sectors of the economy.
He noted that by demanding these amenities, Nigerians are not asking for too much, thereby emphasizing the need for leaders to be accountable and responsible to the citizens they serve.
Pastor Olawoye also charged Nigerians to play an active role in ensuring that elected leaders keep their promises while in office.
The MOGA convener added that Nigerians should always hold the government accountable to ensure that campaign promises are fulfilled.
He pointed out that by holding the President, governors, and lawmakers accountable, Nigerians are performing their constitutional duties as enshrined in Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
According to him, “We should hold all our governors accountable and put pressure on them so that they can do what we elected them to do.”
The guest lecturer, Chairman of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSO) in Ogun State, Comrade Solomon Bankole, before delivering his lecture, expressed disappointment in the role played by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) during the ordeal of Pastor Olawoye in the hands of the Department of State Security Services (DSS).
He said that instead of helping the pastor, they rather compounded his problems.
He stressed the need for people to be their brother’s keeper in all situations, noting that an injury to one is an injury to all.
In his lecture titled “Simple Laws That Can Take People to Prison,” Comrade Bankole enjoined people to be cautious in their daily activities, as actions or inactions can either make or mar individuals in society.
Citing examples, the Ogun State CSO chairman warned that people should be wary of simple actions that could land them in prison. These include allowing visitors to stay overnight, permitting others to use one’s phone, discarding used airtime cards without destroying them, and rendering unsolicited assistance to strangers.
He emphasized that such situations can become dangerous if anything goes wrong.
Concluding his lecture, Comrade Bankole urged everyone to rise to the challenge of making Nigeria, especially Ogun State, great again, adding that every citizen has a duty to hold leaders accountable.
Some members of the group who spoke at the event assured the MOGA convener, Pastor Olawoye, of their readiness to contribute their quota toward ensuring that Ogun State continues to be the gateway to other states of the federation.
