‘A LEADER MUST VALUE THE VOICE OF HIS FOLLOWERS TO THE ACTUALITY OF HIS VISION’ ~ ALHAJI BABATUNDE ROTINWA

Alhaji Babatunde Rotinwa Is the Current Chairman of the Lagos State Local Government Service Commission, And also the chairman of Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG) with an in-depth knowledge plus extensive wealth of experience in community management and human resource development.

Ikorodu News Network met with the former Lagos State Head Of Service Figure head to discuss his take on Community Development, Lagos State Government overall performance as regards combating Covid-19 Pandemic, Leadership Capabilities and Youth inclusiveness agenda for Ikorodu Division.

“Idle Hands Are The Devil’s Workshop is actually the essence of the Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG) but our parents also has a role to play in the lives of our children, given them the platform to be discovered at an early stage is key, Poverty should not be blamed for everything, Our children are our investments and they can also change the communities if they are supported on time” Alhaji Rotinwa.

INN: Beyond Covid-19 Pandemic, How do you see Ikorodu Region from an economic stand Point?

Alhaji Rotinwa: Ikorodu Division as a whole is an evolving Economy, it is growing gradually and we have alot of opportunities brewing from this region the only Challenge is that we as a people and the government here are not taking advantage of the opportunities present before us.

As leaders when we stop updating the basic requirements of our communities it results to consistent Challenges across-the-board.

INN: With that said do you think that there is no synergy between local government and the LCDA’s?

Alhaji Rotinwa: Definately there is no synergies reflecting from all of them.

Ikorodu will be better of than where we are now if the Local Government and LCDA’S are closely working together.

INN: Okay, So what is your advice for our Local Government/LCDA  Chairmen?

Alhaji Rotinwa: There is need for our local government to take control of what is occurring in the community today, And this can be done if the Local Government can relate with the state authorities, Ascertain the statistics of the people living in their communities, Know their needs and work out measures to provide solutions to them.

The local government should Rob minds with their inhabitants annually to check mate their basic needs and from there they can then work out budgets in their capacity to support people.

More importantly the local government should carefully survey the direction of the state government so that their intended projections can easily fit into the Master plan of the State Government because you cannot come up with a plan or budget that does not align with the blueprint co-ordinate of the state.

I believe if they work on these areas then adequate success is sure for the entire Ikorodu Division because it is only when they work together with coordinates from the state that each LCDA’S will know their expectations, And when you are expected to do something with close monitoring you would do it.

INN: Looking at our youths today, It is believed that prior to Covid-19 Pandemic the Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG) has plans for the Youths in Ikorodu, Can you explain to us more about your goals?

Alhaji Rotinwa: Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG) is actually design to empower our young people who are on the large scale of Strengthening our Economy.

The Organisation is about making the youths know that whether they are educated, skillful, Gifted or Technically sound, this resource group is meant to assist them to become better.

But one thing must be clear, Before these young people will get to that productive level they need parental control, Support and guidance.

They must be discovered at an early stage and never be allowed to have idle Hands. The parents has a very big role to play in the lives of their children in order for them to be resourceful.

We parents must not be too busy for our children, If you spend your time focused on only money and ignore your basic parental duties as a father or a mother then later in life you will have to waste that money in trying to amend your failures amongst your family.

There are alot of well known athletes and personalities we recognise today who are doing well career wise simply because they were groomed at a very young stage. That is very important if we want to help the youths in developing our communities.

INN: What Is now your contributions?

Alhaji Rotinwa: We give them opportunities and empower them when necessary. We Organise seminars and make scholarships available to them in order to advance their endeavours. There is alot we can do for the Youths but most of them lack proper direction and thus they are not Discovered to even get the right kind of help they need.

In American today you will see young people working for 20hours on different fronts to make ends meet, The government evaluates their work rate which can automatically open them to the range of support they will get to be established.

From the duration of 3 months a working class individual can buy a car and from 3 years they can acquire a house, The system is so open to understand the productive stage of any working class youth.

Our Government is not supposed to be pumping money here and there, they are meant to create avenues for the youths to excel in life. Which is actually the goal of the IDRDG and I am sure we will continue to contribute our own quarter to assist the Ikorodu Youths across the Division.

INN: Let’s now shift our focus to LEADERSHIP and how effective it can be to Realise results, What is your perspective on Leadership?

Alhaji Rotinwa: To me I see Leadership as the relationship between the Leader and his followers, Let’s use an office practice in perception.

If an organisation is having a meeting, it is never a one man’s show, Everybody ‘who are the Followers’ has to contribute to the best of their capabilities in order for the CEO ‘who is the Leader’ to make his ultimate decision.

Simply because whatever the decision would be at the end of the day might help the company or bring it down, it means everybody is important.

So a leader is the one that Understands the importance of his followers and assuring them that their voice matters to the actuality of his vision.

Even though we know that the decision of a Leader is final, Still there has to been an open room for consistent consensus among followers created by the Leader to enhance Effective decision making.

That consensus gives access to back up plans, it gives access to creating solutions to unforseen circumstances, it gives access to sustainability and it gives access to accrue resources in order to enhance productivity and profitability.

These are ways a Leader must operate in order to utilise his followers and maximize their full Potentials.

INN: How Will Appraise the Efforts of the Lagos State Government so far as regards CoVid-19?

Alhaji Rotinwa: I must really commend & appreciate the foresight of his excellency, Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu in combating and containing this Pandemic. Our Governor is a very humble man with a sharp approach. He actually anticipated this pandemic earlier than other Governors’ and you can see how he has stood on the case effectively.

The Government together with our health practitioners are working adequately to save us from this community spread, It is reasonable that we as citizens take responsibility by following the health guidelines issued to us. We must obey the instructions of the Lagos State Government in order for us to be victorious at the end.

So far I score our government 85% on their performance level because I can see that they are playing a very significant and unique role more than expected to curb this virus.