Ajeromi/Ifelodun Federal Constituency was, on Thursday, awash with political nostalgia and renewed advocacy as former House of Representatives member, Hon. Kolawole Taiwo, embarked on an inspection tour of projects he facilitated during his tenure, a move that has ignited fresh calls for his return to the National Assembly.
The constituency-wide tour spotlighted a catalogue of infrastructural and social interventions executed within just two and a half years of his four-year mandate; a period he noted was significantly constrained by protracted litigation and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Across several communities visited, residents and political stakeholders openly commended the scale and impact of the projects, many describing them as visible evidence of responsive representation. While a number of the facilities are functional and serving residents, others were found vandalised, abandoned, or yet to be put into use, a development that stirred concern and, in some quarters, frustration.
APC chieftain and former Lagos State lawmaker, Hon. John Sina Ogunkoya (“777”), described Taiwo’s road interventions as legacy projects capable of shaping electoral sentiment.
He noted that transforming previously muddy, refuse-filled roads into motorable routes had not only improved mobility but also restored dignity to affected communities. According to him, such tangible projects naturally inspire political loyalty and set performance benchmarks for public office holders.
He said, the visible impact of Hon. Kolawole Taiwo’s projects speaks louder than political rhetoric. “If I am asked to campaign, I do not need to say much. This road alone is enough campaign material. I can simply tell the people: ‘Vote for me because Hon. Kolawole Taiwo gave you this road.’ And if that is the message, will the people not vote for him as well? This road is critical to this community; it has transformed our environment, and nobody can deny that reality. Hon. Taiwo was here almost every day, supervising the construction day and night to ensure the work was properly done. This place used to be muddy and filled with refuse, but look at what it has become today.
Grassroots sentiment echoed similar positions as captured by Simiat Abdulsalam, a food vendor on Adeolu Street, recalling that perennial flooding that once plagued the area had become a thing of the past following the road construction.
She expressed hope that Taiwo would once again represent the constituency, a position reinforced by groups of market women who gathered during the tour, singing and pledging support for his political comeback.
The Project tour of the former Deputy Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly also served to counter claims in some quarters that several projects credited to Taiwo were either non-existent or exaggerated.
Visibly emotional at some project sites, Taiwo lamented the state of facilities that had either been vandalised or left idle after handover to relevant authorities, stressing that governance must remain a continuum irrespective of political transitions and leanings.
One of the focal points of concern was the fully built and equipped Primary Health Centre at JMJ Quarters, Tolu, Ajegunle.
Taiwo disclosed that the facility was delivered with complete medical equipment and supported with free drugs worth ₦10 million at commissioning, yet had not commenced operations.
He, however, said he had since engaged the current local council leadership, which assured him that security and medical personnel would be deployed to activate the centre.
Community leaders who spoke during the visit confirmed the project’s proper execution but lamented its non-usage.
Ward E Chairman and Chairman of Ward Chairmen in Ajeromi/Ifelodun, Egbonwo Adeyemi, said residents were delighted when the health facility was attracted to the area, but called for collective action to safeguard and utilise public assets.
Similarly, two-time councillor, Hon. Oloye Felix, described the idle centre as a waste of critical resources, emphasising that successive administrations must sustain inherited projects in the interest of the people.
At Cardoso High School, Badia-Ijora, Hon Taiwo assured students that vandalised digital learning facilities he facilitated through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) would be restored, with improved security arrangements.
Other projects inspected include:
Mega Borehole at Batra Sala Street, Oke Oja Community, Amukoko
Six-Classroom Blocks at Cardoso Junior Secondary School
Rehabilitated Classrooms at Cardoso Senior Secondary School
ICT Centre at Cardoso Senior Secondary School
Youth and Women Empowerment Centre, Cemetery Street, Ago Hausa (ongoing)
Multipurpose Hall at Nigerian Naval Barracks, Boundary
Ongoing Achakpo Market Project
Classroom Blocks with VIP Toilets at Ibafon Primary School
At the Amukoko borehole site, he assured residents that the leaking overhead tank would be replaced with higher-capacity plastic tanks, while dilapidated classrooms observed during the tour would be prioritised for rehabilitation.
Summing up the essence of the visit, Hon Taiwo maintained that visible, people-oriented projects remain the strongest measure of legislative performance, urging current office holders to prioritise accountability and continuity in governance.
For many residents, however, the tour evolved beyond inspection, becoming a referendum of sorts on representation, with growing grassroots calls urging the former lawmaker to return to the Green Chamber to continue what they described as “impactful and people-centred service.”
