The “Not too young to run” mantra started out as one of the usual agitation that seems to be dead even before take-off.
But today, it has not only been passed into law but has begun to yield a fruitful dividend. One of such fruit is Hon. Ibrahim Ajani Owolabi, a young and dynamic leader though young but has been touted as one of the future of Lagos Mainland politics and beyond.
He is vying for the position of Lagos State House of Assembly under the All Progressive Congress (APC).
One of the striking attributes of this young and energetic leader is the enormity of ideas he has to move his constituency forward.
Through his campaign team, he was able to organise a well-defined town hall meeting across his constituency to get to interact with the people, market women, elders, young and old.
This is Obama-like; as a young budding organiser in the state of Illinois. Hon. Ibrahim is able to put words together on how his eventual emergence as their representative will impact the people. He has not only put his plans to words like most politicians will do; he is already putting them to action by having the BRT-like buses conveying school children to school on daily basis.
This is totally free and it will ease the movement of pupils to schools. When asked about the rationale of the project, he said: “to have pupils being conveyed to school will ease the burden of transport fare on the parts of parents and this will encourage pupils’ interaction thereby increasing attendance in school, if supporting our pupils through education is the only legacy I will leave behind I think my tenure will have been deemed satisfactory”. I am sure he is truly living his political mantra “Be the change you wish to see”.
As a young entrepreneur himself, he understands the need to be fully equipped with the needed knowledge and material support to thrive in self-reliant business sector, so he has also put together some empowerment programs for artisans and widows.
He is also helping his constituency getting healthier and richer through organisation of health seminars that allows for free medical check-ups for people in his constituency.
Welfare for elders and children is also top on some of the needs within his community that he is addressing through provision of perishable and non-perishable food to member of his community. This is not the stomach infrastructure type of welfare, it is one which is embedded in his food security campaign promise and he is already actualising it.
The elders and children are very vulnerable to food insecurity and it is the responsibility of the people that is saddled to govern them that will provide for them.
Without doubt, Hon. Ibrahim popularly called “AJANI” by his supports is one to watch. He is surely going to win as his people are right behind him and beyond this present aspiration he is one of the few that will shape the future of Lagos Mainland politics.