The Hon. Musibau Sanusi’s administration in Ona Ara Local Government of Oyo state is very revealing and all encompassing. His actions are driven by passion for growth and development and his vision to turn the local government around for better.
The coming of Shaba as he popularly known in 2020 to supervise the affairs of Ona Ara local government heralded a new beginning. Having served his term out and ready to bow out gracefully in May 2024, Shaba has succeeded in engeadering policies that changed the face iv governance and putting smiles on the residents of the local government.
“It gladdens my heart to tell you that we have made a tremendous progress in the affairs of Ona-Ara LG since we took the mantle of leadership like never before. Ona-Ara has indeed become shining example of all local government councils in Oyo State. Let’s look at economy, a number of small scale businesses have been springing up emass in Ona Ara LG under my watch. This is in contrast to people perception of the local government as a Baston of Petrol Stations but to God be the glory that negative narrative has been eliminated as small scale businesses doted the landscape of Ona-Ara Local Government,” he said in an interview with WesternlifenewsNG.
Some key areas where his administration made notable impacts include education, health, agriculture, security, social empowerment, building of infrastructure, to mention but a few.
Acknowledging the fact that government cannot, on its own do everything, Shaba sought and got support of NGOs, even outside the shore of Nigeria, to execute some of his agenda especially in the area of health facility towards the development of a new Ona Ara Local Government.
The outgoing chairman during the interview also paid glowing tribute to the governor of Oyo state, Engr Seyi Makinde for supporting his popular agenda to develop the Ona Ara local government. He also acknowledged the cooperation and support of the party leaders and elders in the local government, which according to him gave him much impetus to carry out many developmental projects in the local government.
Education
Hon. Sanusi, in all ramifications has placed education in high pedestal in Ona Ara local government. His aggressive and focus approach to raise the standard of education was well acknowledged by stakeholders.
Hear him, “we have instituted a legacy of scholarships for our students by awarding scholarships to 4 students at School of Nursing, also 5 students were equally awarded scholarships at First Technical University and we have been doing this on annual basis since we assumed office.
My administration is equally buying Joint Admission Matriculation Board forms for our final year students in Secondary school. We also provided exercise books for 50 selected schools, we also supplied tables, chairs and school bags for selected students in the local government
At St’ James Primary school at Idi Ose, we rebuilt a dilapidated toilet and we equally built two (2) blocks units of three (3) class rooms each for the use of school fully tiled with a deep well to get water. Our people in that area can attest to these laudable feat. We equally replicate the aforementioned projects at Alaase Primary School Ona-Ara LG.
Still on education, we published a book titled ” Correction in English Language ” distributed for both public and private schools in order to enhance our pupil’s standards of English Language. The book was published in collaboration with an ace broadcaster working with Fresh FM Ibadan.
To the glory of God, the first higher Institution of learning (Ibadan Health Technology) established permanent site at Jigan/ Olounda /Aare Alasa. Although, it’s a private institution but we believe it’s better to start with that.
Agriculture
Talking about agriculture, Ona-Ara is largely agrarian, and we have provided our farmers with 200 hecters of land for a kind of Cooperative farming and we happy to inform you that our administration is the first to do this in the history of Ona-Ara Local Government. The land is located at Olugboke Odedele around Olorunda. We gave our farmers fertilizer, insecticide with machines for spraying their farms. We also provided them with files and cutlasses. We thank God our farmers are happy and peacefully coexist among themselves courtesy our intervention.
As part of incentive to our farmers, we have moved into all our rural agrarian communities and grading all the roads for easy access and movement of agricultural commodities.
Health
On health sector, Ona-Ara LG in collaboration with State Government renovated Primary Health Center PHC units in all the eleven wards to standard level. Let me at this junction state that our friends at home and abroad who are philanthropists help us on our drive for health development. For an instance, one of our friends as a kind of support for our administration, donated a befitting PHC (Primary Health Care) unit at Ojebode around Olosan area. Also, NGOs from abroad gifted medical equipments worth more than seven (7) Million Naira for our hospital facility at Idi-Ose.
Security
I want to specifically thanks God for initiative of Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde on security outfit code named Amatekun which has been a huge success for the whole Yoruba land. Recalled that whenever there is uprising in Ibadan people tend to associate Ona-Ara as the hotbed of the crisis but since we came on board that narrative has been changed. We have tamed all manner of uprising, killing and gangsterism within our jurisdiction in the local government. Part of the our security measures was the security submit we organized in September 2020 inside a big hall of a popular Resorts in Ona-Ara where we inculcated in our youths on the need for peaceful coexistence and security conciousness. No local government in Oyo State has done this kind of submit before and after our own here. Due to my administration’s foresight in organizing this summit, Ona-Ara did not experience any vandalism that happened in other places during the ” End-SARS” crisis. Also, I regularly have interactive sessions with all security agencies. We bought seventeen (17) motorcycles for both our local security outfit and Government own security agencies. We bought touch light and other necessary equipments. There are pictures to backup these developments and we thank God for doing our best for making Ona-Ara LG safe for economic prosperity of all residents and visitors.
Empowerment
Our administration empowerment approach is adopting the popular mantra of ” teach them how to fish rather than given them fish to eat”. We have trained 135 people in various handwork like nylon making, soap making, Adire artistic design and others numerous to mention. All the trainees were presented with tools and equipments of their trade. My administration also empowered some women with grounding machines, hair dress fryers, tailoring machines and other valuable equipments.
Infrastructure
Ona Ara local government has benefited from massive road construction embarked upon by the administration of His Exellence Gov. Seyi Makinde. We are now enjoying the road dualization from Olorunsogo going to boundary of Oyo State at Kajola which is just about 20 minutes drive to Lekki-Epe expressway built by former Governor Ambode of Lagos State. Also, Oremeji to IGEM road project and Odeyele to Ajia are all projects happened during our tenure and history will not forget us.
We are equally happy to announce that work is on going at Ona-Ara LG ultra-market of 492 shops with warehouses and offices which will boost economy of LG.
We have built a neighborhood market (Omituntun Neighborhood market) at Ogbere Tioya to accommodate people who were using the area during the construction of Bridge project (popularly called Border). This market will comprises of 170 shops out of which 42 shops has been built with 2 toilets, bathroom and a deep well at both right and left side of the market. The neighborhood market is now on with 17 solar light units was installed inside the market.
When we came in our Secretariat was in state of disrepair, overgrown by weeds and bushes. Today, Ona-Ara LG Secretariat has been given a face-lift with our modest effort. We have also procured necessary office equipments and furniture befitting of a local government Secretariat. Furthermore, our guest house located behind Ogbere Police station which has been abandoned for years before we assumed office, is now in good condition to receive visitors. Ditto the Ona-Ara local government legislative chamber has been remodeled with aesthetic design, patterned after Oyo State House of Assembly to the admiration of all people.
Funding of projects
Through the approval from His Exellency, Governor Makinde and our modest Internally Generated Revenue, we are able to achieve much. In a matter of 2 to 3 years from now, with the efforts we put in place, our IGR shall be on geometric increase.
Just recently Rural Accessibility and Marketing Project (RAMP) an agency who handle the upgrading of markets in Nigeria is planning to built 9 massive markets in Oyo State and we are lucky to be one and only LG selected in whole of Ibadan as a result of our activities they see.
Projects to be commissioned before handing over
We have the following projects ready for commissioning before we leave: toilet with motorized borehole at Araromi Primary school and Palupo area. Also, Security Post at Thywill area will be commissioned.
Our Honorable Councilors’ vehicle, and that of Health department workers and department of work which have been grounded for many years before we came in have been repaired and refurbished to facilitate their operations especially health workers monthly immunization exercise.
With our efforts, we did motorized borehole at Ifelagba Olorisa Oko at Idi-Ose, another motorized borehole was built at Akanran in front of Primary Health Center. We facilitated borehole in conjunction with RUWASA at Ire Akari Asolo. Also, another borehole at Ire Akari at Amuloko where they called Atayese.
Future political ambition
Everything is in the hand of God but I will continue to remain a politician, member of the Peoples Demratic Party and hope for better future in politics.
Advice for incoming successor
Well, we have done our best with God on our side and support of our people. I want to advice those who are coming after us to sustain the tempo of IGR geometrical increase we started. So, we thank God for what God has used us to do. We believe the incoming regime will not only emulate our achievement in increasing the IGR but suppass the level we leave it.
