…I feel honored – Olaniyan
By Mike Adeyemi
Ilorin, the Kwara State capital penultimate Wednesday agog as a leading aspirant into the Federal House of Representative in the forthcoming general elections, Hon. Abdulazeez Abiodun Olaniyan was honored with a Paragon of Community Development Merit Award by a non governmental organization, Youth Democratic Coalition (YODECO).
The recognition which held at the Kwara State Banquet Hall, Ilorin attracted by policymakers, diplomats, development partners, youth leaders, private sector stakeholders and captains of industries across Nigeria.
The award celebrates Olaniyan’s consistent efforts in promoting youth inclusion, Community services, leadership development, philanthropical gesture and service to humanity.
The award was presented by the Executive Chairman of Ilorin East Local Government Area, Hon. Garuba Olayinka Agbelere, alongside the Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Ahmed El-Imam and President of YODECO, Hon. Abdulkodir Alausa.
Speaking after receiving the award, Engr. Abdulazeez Abiodun Olaniyan expressed appreciation to the organisers and reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening youth engagement, community development, entrepreneurship and sustainable development across Kwara State.
Olaniyan who dedicated the award to his immediate constituency, charges Nigerians to be up and doing towards enhancing all inclusive civic duty which inadvertently would bring about communal cohesion, and utmostly advanced Kwara state and indeed Nigeria.
“As fathers, and mothers everyone have to rise up to our civic responsibility to promote a safe , decent, comfortable and economic viable society, as you all know that nothing is too small or too big to make meaningful impact on ones root.
“I want to implore us all to strive hard towards contributing our valuable quotas to the progress, security and economic emancipation of our communities, state and Nigeria as a whole, ” the oil and gas expert advised.
Olaniyan however used the medium to lauds the good efforts made by the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mall. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq toward positioning the state as the best among its equal in Nigeria.
“Permit me to say this without been unequivocal to appreciate our governor, Mall. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for being a listening governor. I wrote a letter to him sometimes ago seeking support toward the renovation of my Alma matter, Ora Community Grammar School. It gladden my heart that His Excellency acknowledged the receipt of the letter and pledged to give the school a facelift which he did.
“Mall. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq is one leader that had demonstrated the vision, courage, and political will to lead Kwara State to the future its people had long desired. He is an embodiment of the kind of leadership the people of Kwara have been yearning for, to overcome decades of underdevelopment, poor governance, and elite conspiracies,” Olaniyan said.
He added that he is aligned with the school of thought that described Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the best to happen to Kwara State, saying it is evidence from varieties of developmental projects the governor has executed across the state.
”Let me make bold at this juncture to affirm that today, in our state, we have such a leader in the person of Mall. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq who believes in the infinite possibilities of Kwara State. He has given us a Kwara of our dream, ” the Ora – born politician said.
Earlier in his remark, The organiser and the President of Youth Democratic Coalition(YODECO), Dr. Abdulkadir Alausa said the awards were instituted to recognise excellence, diligence, dedication and commitment to community service and humanity in general.
He added that Engr. Abdulazeez Abiodun Olaniyan was recognised and chosen among numerous nominations through a transparent democratic voting process as worthy of the award based on his unprecedented and valuable impacts on community development and transformation.
Alausa noted that the unprecedented upliftment of Ora Community Grammar School in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State laden with varried incentives such as distribution of exercise books, sinking of borehole, purchase of generator alongside procurement of equipments of the school’s laboratory by the awardee was a torch nut and deserves commendation.
He noted that YODECO as a youth organisation would continue to encourage individuals and groups who have shown exemplary leadership styles and promote community transformation such as the house of rep hopeful and other awardees.
He therefore, solicited the support from well meaning individuals and groups for the organisation to fulfil its aims and objectives to all Nigerians.