Hon James Abiodun Faleke, a member of the House of Representatives, representing Ikeja Federal Constituency , is a model of what of what leadership is all about. Apart from being a model that our leaders are not shallow in understanding that the public’s very existence depend on the decisions they make, he is equally adding values to lives. He focuses firmly on actions that can create and achieve the best results for the people.
Amazingly, he seems to share the same chord of empathy with Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu in terms of reaching out to the grassroots to the people, adding values to them. Faleke maintains similar family compound politics as Asiwaju Tinubu, working to help so many people to the top.
He sits at the centre of this compound to listen to his people, dispensing solutions to some issues. Meanwhile many of his contemporaries hid away in impregnable castles with wild dogs and fierce-looking guards at their gates to keep the unwanted away. And while some appear to be driven by self-conscious of survival, building their own wealthy empires and enjoying the luxuries while their people suffer, Hon Faleke is concerned with building human beings. He is after the well-being of members of his constituency, enhancing their welfare and dignity.
Hon Faleke, has for years contributed to sweeten life for the people in different ways, which include road and infrastructural projects, educational development, youth and women empowerment in different forms. He has strengthened the legs of many to walk along the various threads of life without fear. Not all leaders want to go and save their people in towns, the villages and rural areas as Faleke has been doing in his constituency.
Last December, he embarked on massive empowerment projects for the people. He distributed 100 mini-buses popularly called Korope, 30 tricycles, grinding machines and other materials to empower his constituents. Faleke, who represents Ikeja Federal Constituency, said empowering the people was the best approach to winning the war against crime caused by idleness.
Speaking at the Police College, Ikeja GRA, venue of the event, the lawmaker said the disbursement was part of efforts to take youths off the streets and help them live meaningful lives.
“The essence of doing this empowerment is to take most of our youths off the street and we have succeeded in doing that partially. This is the second phase; we saw the outcome of the first phase on our youths, as the lucky ones surprised us with the turnaround in their lives. Some of them now take care of their families and even their communities
“We tried our best to carry everybody along in this second phase, which is majorly for youths and women within the community, not necessarily party members, voters and leaders. As long as you contribute your quota to the development of the constituency, you are entitled to it.
Faleke hailed the Federal Government, saying it had done well in ensuring economic stability for the country.
“This government has achieved a lot, but the disadvantage of insecurity has brought it under the carpet. But all things been equal, and with God on our side, especially as Mr. President has said, we are in the last lap of the fight against insecurity. Everything will work out fine and the economy will be better for it since people will be able to return to their farms,” he added.
He hailed Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s selflessness in mentoring many elected and appointed government officials. According to him, the empowerment wouldn’t have been possible without the contribution of Asiwaju Tinubu to his (Faleke’s) political ascendancy.
All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos State chapter Chairman-elect, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, hailed Faleke for taking good care of the party members in his constituency and making them feel the positive impact of good governance in the area.
As a result of his sterling performance at contributing to the lives of the ordinary people, the traditional rulers of Ikejaland, conferred him with the title of Atunlushe-Akorede of Ikejaland while his wife, Esther, was also conferred with the Yeye Atunlushe-Akorede of Ikejaland title, on Friday January 14th 2022.
The titles were jointly conferred on the couple by the three traditional rulers monarchs in Ikeja –Alaguda of Aguda, Oba Hakeem Agbaosi Saibu (Ewe-Obaja I); Awise of Onigbongbo, Oba Oluwasegun Adeyemi Ajasa (Olaside I) and Oloregun of Oregun, Oba Olukunmi Olusesan Akingbola (Ikudoro I).
The ceremony attended by prominent personalities, politicians, religious and traditional leaders, captains of industries and community leaders, among others from within and outside Lagos. These included Apostle Ojelabi, Lagos State chairman of the APC, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, among many others who see Faleke as a reliable man of empathy and model of good leadership.
While Faleke and his wife were been celebrated by the people of Ikeja, with the chieftaincy titles, the federal lawmaker was surprised by artisans and technicians in Lagos as the Association of Lagos Artisans and Technicians (ASLAT), Ikeja branch, presented Award of Excellence to him. The award was presented to the lawmaker in recognition of his extraordinary and exceptional Passion and Support to Ikeja Artisans and Technicians
Those who presented the award said Faleke, a former chairman of Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) and one-time Deputy Governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi State, is a man that has contributed immensely to support artisans and technicians in Lagos State and Ikeja in particular..
An elated Faleke said the double honours showed that the his constituents in Ikeja appreciated all he has been doing for them, especially since he has been representing them in the House of Representatives.
While assuring his constituents that he will not relent in his efforts to serve the people of Ikeja Federal Constituency passionately, he also assured them that the honours bestowed on him by the traditional rulers and ASLAT will be a wake-up call for him to do more for his people for the rest of his life. Speaking at the event, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Gbajabiamila, who was accompanied by his wife, Salamotu, described Faleke as a reliable man who deserved the double honour.
“Hon. Faleke deserves this title. He has a proven track record, and the people can attest to this fact. I am proud of him, and wish him goodness in all his endeavours. He is a good representative of the people, as evidenced in today’s outing, and we can only pray for him to go higher and higher.”
Mr. Shina Akinyemi, the National Coordinator of the Association of Nigerian Artisans and Technicians (ASNAT), praised Hon Faleke in glowing terms, saying he deserved all accolades and encomium he was getting everywhere. He explained the lawmaker did not just get here in one day or used money as many normally do to get honour, he worked for it.
“In our own case, the Artisans and Technicians in Ikeja Local Government Area, Faleke has been our life support’ for more than 15yrs; assisting us with so many things in kind and cash just to uplift and boost our trades and business. Did you see the last mega empowerment he did, 100 mini busses, 200 tricycles, thousand of working tools and equipment were giving to about 15,000 Artisans and Technicians across Ikeja LGA.
“My brother it has never happened before – Koseleri! No one, I repeat no one has ever done so much for Artisans and Technicians in Lagos State as Hon Faleke has done in the last 15 years. No wonder that title Atunluse (the one who upgrades the city) Akorede (one who brings goodness) combined with our own Award of Excellence fits him and his adorable wife perfectly. We will continue to remain loyal and support him in all his endeavors and aspirations.”
The ability of leaders to shift their thinking and the thinking of those around them is key to the people’s ability to successfully manage their personal and professional lives through any situation. The activities of James Faleke should be a clarion call to them to make the necessary adjustments to enable people in their constituency to thrive rather than just survive.
To do that, leaders will have to grasp the need for a change in thinking focused on actions that can create and achieve the best
results.
Being inspired is important, but it must be more than simply inspiration, which often ends after the ‘feel-good period’. Instead, we will need to see transformation to make many people successfully traverse extreme situation to happiness.
There may be no better quote than this: “Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”.
We find ourselves with no clear path, but with an expectation that leaders will make one for all of us.-and that is what Faleke has been doing.