Rt. Hon. Oladiji Honored With Chieftaincy Title In Appreciation of Leadership Roles
Speaker of the 10th Ondo Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji Adesanmi would
on Friday, November 10, 2023 be honoured for his uncommon leadership roles and contributions to the development of Ondo State at large and Ondo Kingdom in particular through the instrumentality of lawmaking.
The numerous and uncommon achievements of Landmark, as he popularly known were indeed recognized and appreciated with the conferment on him the chieftaincy title of Baamoye of Ondo Kingdom, by the Osemawe and paramount ruler of Ondo Kingdom, Oba Dr Victor Adesimbo Kiladejo, Jilo III.
The title, Baamoye, literally translates to the wise and visionary one. This is definitely a very well thought out title because it is absolutely in sync with the leadership qualities and responsibilities of Rt. Hon. Oladiji. It clearly takes wisdom and vision for any leader to succeed and Landmark possess these qualities, even in surplus requirement. The grassroots politician has indeed been manifesting sound judgement, informed decisions and clarity of purpose since he became the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly on Sunday, June 4, 2023.
The conferment of the title of Baamoye of Ondo Kingdom on Rt. Hon. Oladiji by the Osemawe was also based on the fact that his time as the Speaker of Ondo Assembly has marked a new beginning of proactive and result oriented legislative body in the Assembly’s history. It is a fact that the Ondo Speaker is extremely experienced in the business of lawmaking, and this obviously made his job seamlessly easy from the very first day in office. It should however be acknowledged that the legislative outputs of Speaker Oladiji that appear simple on the surface, are actually outcome of good thinking, rigorous research and exhaustive consultations.
It is also worth stating that Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji promptly hit the ground running the moment he became the Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly. The first thing he did as Ondo Assembly Speaker was to give valued sense of belonging to all members of the assembly. This has therefore, helped to guarantee a very united, firmly focused and highly productive parliament. It is also worthy of note that the speaker chose to patriotically and sacrificially lead as first amongst equals.
The philanthropist cum politician has also been leading an independent Assembly that prioritized the interests of the good people of Ondo State. Notwithstanding the recent skirmishes in the State Assembly over a request for the composition of impeachment panel by the Chief Justice of the state; Rt. Hon. Oladiji has been leading a very disciplined and result oriented parliament. He has equally recorded significant achievements in his five months of holding sway as the Speaker of Ondo Assembly. It was in recognition of his impressive leadership that he was recently elected as the Vice Chairman (South) of APC conference of Speakers forum at the Corinthia Villa Hotel and suite, Garki, Abuja. This is definitely a big plus for Ondo State because it is the very first time in recent time that a speaker from the Sunshine State would be so recognized.
Unprecedentedly, Ondo State House of Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji had passed a bill into law for the creation of 33 New Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the State. The new law had also been given assent by the state governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. This is definitely a new height of legislative achievement in the history of the Sunshine State. As things stand now in Ondo State, the newly created LCDAs are to co-exist with the existing 18 Local Government Areas in the state. The assented law by Governor Akeredolu has increased the number of Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas in Ondo State to 51.
Meanwhile, Speaker Oladiji had thereafter thought it right to salute the visionary leadership of Governor Akeredolu for the resolve to expedite development at the grassroots level in Ondo State by joining other South western states that had earlier created Local Council Development Areas.
More so, in line with section 103 of 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended); and also in a bid to ensure optimum legislative efficiency and productivity in Ondo Assembly, Landmark had done the needful by constituting the 33 standing Committees of the House. In line with standard practice in Nigerian legislative assemblies, the speaker
headed the Selection Committee.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Speaker,
Prince Abayomi Akinruntan was made the Chairman of the House Committee on Allocation and Welfare, while the
Rules and Business Committee is headed by the Majority leader, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi. The Speaker, Landmark also deserves credit for painstakingly carrying the house leadership along in the leadership composition of other committees according to the capacities, career experiences and academic qualifications of members.
Commendably, Ondo State parliament under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji had also concerned itself with the vehicular wellbeing of the good people of Ondo State. The assembly led by Landmark had called the immediate attention of Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to the deplorable roads in Ondo State, especially the failed portions of Ipele-Idoani-Isua Akoko and Elegbeka-Ifon in Ose Local Government Area of the State.
The 10th Ondo Assembly leadership had written a letter to FERMA for immediate intervention on deplorable federal roads across Ondo State and with a particular focus on Ipele-Idoani-Isua Akoko and Elegbeka-Ifon in Ose Local Government Area. The Agency had however given assurance that necessary steps would be taken to find a lasting solution to the affected roads while palliative works had already been carried out on some critical points between Molege- Elegbeka-Ifon roads.
While Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Akeredolu was in Germany for medical vacation, the 10th Ondo Assembly under the leadership of Landmark saved the state from constitutional crisis with the prompt confirmation of the Deputy Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa as the state’s Acting Governor. The confirmation was speedily done after the Assembly received a letter from Governor Akeredolu, in which he notified the legislators of his decision to embark on a 21-working-day medical leave on account of his health challenge.
Likewise, the 10th Ondo State Assembly had also identified with
victims whose houses, farms and properties were ravaged by flood
in some areas within the state capital. The flood had occurred after a torrential downpour that lasted for two days and severely affected Oba Adesida road, Oke-Aro, Oke-Ijebu, Araromi, NEPA, among other areas. Meanwhile, the Assembly had since made strong case for the flood victims and also urged state government to take preventive measures to avoid reoccurrence.
More so, in an unprecedented manner and in a display of exceptional leadership, Rt. Hon. Oladiji had led Ondo Assembly to ingeniously collaborate with former lawmakers in the state. The collaboration is aimed at achieving better legislative duties that would accelerate rapid development in every sector of the of the Sunshine State.
This collaborative deal was secured between members of the dissolved 9th Assembly and the serving members of the 10th Assembly. The speaker also specifically underscored the importance of the collaboration as a novel effort to fastrack socio-economic development of Ondo State and to equally promote fraternal relationship between former and serving legislators.
Also, in appreciation of the exemplary leadership of Rt. Hon. Oladiji as Ondo Assembly Speaker, inaugural meeting of the South-West Legislative Reform Implementation Committee (SLRIC) of the 10th Assembly was recently held in Akure, the capital of Ondo State. The meeting comprised of Majority Leaders of the Houses of Assembly drawn from the six states of Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun Ondo, Osun and Oyo. The meeting brainstormed on the development of legislative reform agenda for Southwest with a view to harnessing legislative practices in the zone. Ondo Assembly was represented at the meeting by the Majority Leader, Hon. Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi. He promised at the meeting to continually serve as a
rallying point for all Southwest Majority Leaders in order to enhance their targeted regional integration.
Beyond the discharge of excellent discharge of his roles as Ondo Assembly Speaker, Landmark had also deemed it necessary to give educational lifelines to academically gifted, but indigent students in Ondo Kingdom. The philanthropist recently organized a back-to-school programme for secondary school students across the two local government areas that make up Ondo Kingdom. It is on record that not less than five hundred students benefited from the programme shortly before schools in Ondo State resumed for a new academic session.
Before Landmark rolled out the back-to-school programme, he had earlier organized summer coaching for school children at various centres across the two local government areas that make up Ondo kingdom. He also gave prizes to students that put up outstanding performance during the summer coaching. In addition, he equally awarded scholarship to the most outstanding student in the summer coaching.
Rt. Hon. Oladiji appreciated the importance of education and described it as one of the best legacies that any nation can bequeath her youths. He however added that the back-to-school empowerment project was a manifestation of his determination to continuously give back to the society that made him.
“Education is the only legacy that one can bequeath any generation. Show me a successful nation and l will show you one that prioritises the education of her youth.”
It is a known fact that the Sunshine State has been having Assembly Speakers since her creation in 1976.
However, it is worth noting that the person, disposition and leadership acumen of Rt. Hon. Olamide Oladiji tower far above that of all his predecessors. He has thus far succeeded enviably, in repositioning the Ondo Assembly for uncommon legislative efficiency, output and oversight. The totality of these achievements has deservedly earned Landmark the chieftaincy title of Baamoye of Ondo Kingdom.