By Femi Salako
Senator Tolu Odebiyi is a man that is well cut out for the legislative representation of Ogun West Senatorial district. He had promptly hit the ground running immediately after his inauguration due to obvious factors of cognate experience, intelligence and outstanding leadership ability.
Distinguished Senator Tolu Odebiyi has in less than two years of being inauguration as a member of Nigeria Senate redefined representation. He has delivered on his primary duties of law making as well as championing the cause of his the people of Ogun West Senatorial district. He has in less than two years provided a new vista of qualitative representation, massively impacted lives of his constituents and also added his voice to the progressive process of law making.
The former Chief of Staff to Ogun State Governor has not only been meeting the yearning of his people in Ogun West, he has equally given deserved priority to their economic wellbeing. Odebiyi has churned out outstanding bills in his almost two years of being in the senate. He was once adjudged one of first 10 new Senators out of 46
in the 9th National Assembly that have the highest number of sponsored bills.
One of the important bills sponsored by Senator Odebiyi is the Bill for an Act to establish the National Institute of Border Studies, Imeko, Ogun State. The bill according to distinguished Senator Odebiyi is aimed at proving a platform for the teaching, research, instruction and training of students in Border Management and in other related matters. Good enough, the bill has already scaled the second reading while a higher percentage of senators have commended Tolu Odebiyi for the great legislative initiative.
The Ogun West senator has also stepped up efforts to ensure that the vulnerable ones amongst his constituents are given economic support in the face of negative challenges of coronavirus pandemic. He had submitted the names of hundreds of his his affected constituents to benefit from the Federal Government Survival Fund and other Federal Government schemes to various Federal Ministries in charge of the Social Investment programmes in the country. Senator Odebiyi had also assured that the schemes would enhance social inclusion of the most vulnerable amongst his constituents. He had also averred that the programme will positively impact the lives of a good number of his constituents in the formal and informal sectors of the economy.
The Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory has never failed to take
maximum advantage of job opportunities for his qualified but unemployed constituents. He has so far facilitated hundreds of employment opportunities for his constituents in both the private and public sectors. One of the beneficiaries of the employment benefits is Mr. Olajide Oyede from Ota area of Ogun State. He had since resumed work as a Team Lead in Ibadan Branch office of Nigeria Incentive Based and Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL Plc) Microfinance Bank.
Similarly, Senator Tolu Odebiyi had also facilitated employment opportunities for scores of his constituent at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Abuja and other federal government ministries, Departments, Agencies and Parastatals. A group of employment beneficiaries paid a thank you visit to the National Assembly office of the senator last year to thank him for the economic lifelines given to them. The group was led by Bolu Salako, who hails from Yewa South Local Government of Ogun State. He did thank Senator Odebiyi for the facilitated jobs and the hope of better future given to them.
The Ogun West Senator had also thought it necessary to support his young constituents in the Micro, Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector. He is already partnering with his constituent who is also a budding entrepreneur, Oyinkansola Okewoye. Senator Odebiyi has thus far done the needful to support the food processing, branding and packaging business of Oyinkansola Okewoye. The entrepreneur and her team were received by Senator Odebiyi in his National Assembly office on September 15, 2020.
The hard working Senator Odebiyi had yet again fulfilled his electoral promise to the people of
Ilupeju -Ishaka, Anu-Oluwapo and Ifesokan communities in Ilogbo Ward 1. He had solved the long years of electricity problem faced by resident of the communities with a donation of 500KVA transformer. Appreciation letter of the affected communities reads, “On behalf of the entire members of the three
(3) CDAs, (Ilupeju-Ishaka CDA), (Anu-Oluwapo CDA) and (Ifesokan CDA) under Ilogbo Ward 1
wish to express profound gratitude to our distinguished Senator Tolu Odebiyi and his entire team
for deeming it fit to give us a 500KVA transformer. This gesture from the Senator will further
improve the socio-economic activities in the communities that have been crippled for so long”.
In the same vein, Senator Tolu Odeniyi had also trained some youths of Ogun West in fish farming and processing. A total of 64 constituents drawn from 5 local government areas benefitted from the training rogramme. Odebiyi also charged the trainees to see fish farming as an alternative means of employment generation. He likewise urged the trainees to see the training as an opportunity for them to engage in meaningful business which truly has potentials to sustain them economically.
The Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, has also been committing his time and resources to humanitarian interventions in the quest to address the health needs of women and girls in Ogun West Senatorial District. The senator had in 2020 made a cash donation of one million naira for the provision of sanitary pads for women and girls in Ogun West Senatorial district. The donation was made by Senator Odebiyi to support the initiative championed by the executives of the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS) which was tagged ‘PAD UP OGUN FEMALE GENDER’. Moreso, the initiative was also in commemoration of the United Nation World Girl Child Day on October 11, 2020.
Without doubt, Senator Tolu Odebiyi has started very well and he has so far given a good account of himself as a qualitative representative of the people of Ogun West Senatorial district. The senator has also concluded plans in the new year to roll out life impacting programmes and developmental projects to better deliver on the mandate given to him by his constituents .
