By Olufemilade Oyinade
“It is unfair to compare Prince Dapo Abiodun with Ladi Adebutu. It is an unfair judgement because their bunches of kilometers apart. I’m like the proverbial door between the two of them and I can confidently tell you that Prince Dapo Abiodun is far far better”.
This was the submission of Prince Adesina Azeez Arole Bello, the Government Liaison Officer (GLO) for Sagamu Local Government during a recent exclusive interview session with our team in Sagamu.
Bello who was formerly a member of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) said he had worked with Hon. Ladi Adebutu for several years very closely and that he knew and respected him so much as his boss but would unequivocally say, any day and anywhere that Prince Abiodun who is the incumbent Governor of Ogun State and the flag bearer of APC is far more resourceful than Adebutu, the Governorship candidate of PDP.
The Sagamu GLO who cut his political teeth decades ago when he first served as a two term Councillor in Shomolu Local Government said that the hallmark of efforts of any one elected into public office is service, opined that Abiodun has performed quite excellently as a governor.
Bello believed that the governor has ensured that all parts of the state has been carried along in his administration, saying that this even development system being adopted truly bore testimony to his all-inclusive governance.
“I am really proud of Prince Abiodun and I can say without mincing words, confidently too that has scored an excellent mark. I believe he has deservedly earned a second term, and I know, if given, he will do more in the service of the people of the state by intensifying his efforts towards making the state the envy of all other states in the Nigerian nation.
“Governor Abiodun has lofty plans of bringing about total development to the state and he has been working assiduously and conscientiously to attain this right from the beginning of his administration as his vision for the state could be seen in the improvement in Education, Health, Housing, Agriculture, Roads and other infrastructural facilities. He truly deserves another term”.
Bello was born on October 5, 1968 to His Royal Highness, Oba Sikiru Adesola Bello, the Ilupeju Legunse (V1) Sagamu, Ogun State and Olori Abeje Bello of Okoko Fame, Ikorodu, Lagos State.
He attended Baptist Primary School, Somolu, Lagos, where he was overall best pupil. He proceeded to Aladura Comprehensive High School, Anthony Village, Lagos where he was Labour Prefect. He had all his WASC papers in one sitting in 1986 and proceeded to Igbobi College, Lagos for his A ‘Levels the same year.
He gained admission into Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife in 1988 and graduated in 1993 with BSc (Hons.) Political Science. He proceeded to Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State where he obtained Masters in Public Administration in 2003.
Prince Bello began his political pursuit when he was elected as Councillor at Shomolu, Local Government, Lagos in 1996. Record had it that he was the only one among his peers reelected a second term as a result of his huge productive efforts in ensuring dividends of democracy for the people of his ward.
He had worked at different public offices and garnered experiences both here in Nigeria and United States of America. He served as Head of Protocol, Ogun state Liaison Office, Lagos from 2003 – 2004. He also worked as Parole Officer, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Dallas Tx, USA from 2005 – 2011. He is the CEO of Zebells Investment Auto in Dallas Texas, Tx, USA.
Prince Bello, for his resourcefulness had earned a number of honours and Awards nationally and internationally. He was honoured: Best Councillor in 1997; Outstanding Investment Award, he earned this for bringing the first Fanty/Fancy Carnival to Sagamu.
The Sagamu GLO who described his appointment as a call to service and that he would do all in his power to justify his appointment by bringing his variously earned experience to bear in his representation of the governor.
He told our team that as soon as he was appointed he began working harmoniously with the Chairman of Sagamu Local Government, Ogbeni Afolabi Odulate who he described as fantastic and hardworking.
“I know my role as
Government Liaison Officer is mainly to complement the local government’s Chairman in service delivery to the people of the local government, in order for them to benefit from the dividends of democracy, hence the local government Chairman and I have formed a synergy that have started yielding positive results.
“We are brother and we have even strengthened the brotherly love since we started working together. He calls me ‘egbon’ and I call him my boss. I believe we owe the people of our local government a responsibility, that is to serve them by ensuring development in the nooks and crannies of the area. We understand we should be the ears and eyes of the state government to our people in service delivery. We promise to give our all in this regard”.
Speaking on his brother, Dare Bello who is still a member of PDP, Azzez Bello said he took him to PDP but he chose to remain in the party. “As an adult, Dare has the right to either follow me to APC or remain in the party. I cannot force him. I hate to dwell on such issues because my priority now is to deliver the goods to my people”, he asserted.
I am really challenged by my appointment. It is indeed pleasing working with Prince Dapo Abiodun. I think there is a chemistry here, because he means well for the people of the state and I have always been seeking for opportunity to serve my people. This explains why I live amongst them. With all sense of modesty, God Has been benevolent to me that I can afford to build a house in the GRA of Sagamu, but I have chosen to be with my people by building my house within their own. I love them dearly and share their pangs and pains as well as their aspirations and joy.
Ogbeni Afolabi Odulate described Azeez Bello as gentle and quite pleasant to work with, adding that since he has been sworn in as the GLO for Sagamu LGA he has shown a near impossible understanding which presented him as one truly committed to the wellbeing of the people, and I am convinced with him, things could only get better for us in Sagamu.
“Quite honestly, I have reasons to thank my Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for his foresight in choosing a man who has come to truly compliment me and my team. A role Bello is a brother indeed.
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