Development in Otumara Community, Setting the Record Straight - By High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye

Development in Otumara Community, Setting the Record Straight - By High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye

To the good people of Otumara community, Apapa Road and the entire Lagos Mainland Local Government, I say a very beautiful afternoon to you all. 

It is needless to bore you with a long epistle rather I will be as concise as possible and hit the nail on the head.

Without being told, the reason for my response at this time, I want to believe is known to many, if not to all concerned residents in the community, our beloved safe haven.

This response is necessary, as its headline depicts, to set the record straight against series of libellous and defamatory write-ups against me.

Recent of such write-up is titled, “Unveiling the Controversy Surrounding Ebute-Metta West Senior Secondary School”, sponsored against my person by some faceless and self-serving individuals under the guise of Otumara Community Stakeholders and Market Union.

By the grace of God, I will respond to each of the allegations as stated in the article and not wish it off as baseless and unfounded. This is necessary to drown the voices of evil doers and their agents who are bent on destroying the good neighbourliness in the community.

To start with, who is High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye?

To my people, Kalejaiye is, by the grace of God, the Baale of Otumara community, Apapa road and Ojo-oniyun. But beyond this, he is humane, compassionate and he js the voice of justice for the repressed and oppressed residents in Lagos Mainland in particular and Lagos State in general.

This is not just a mere lips service. It is attested to by some of my interventions including financial and economic empowerments, project facilitations and call for developmental, educational and social orders through sponsored news publications, radio and television broadcasts.  

And as expected, this is the genesis of conflict between the good and evil; between me and some selfish individuals whose interests are threatened by my services and benevolence to the good people of my community.

In one of such articles that was posted on a platform on Saturday, 26th of August, 2023, it was alleged and I quote in part, “The controversy revolves around the alleged exploitation of community land and the proposed demolition of a vital community market to make way for a senior secondary school construction. This write-up sheds light on the allegations and the actions taken by High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye, highlighting the concerns of the over 3,000 individuals who depend on the market for their livelihood.

High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye and his associate have been accused of using community land to establish 78 shops for their personal gain. …The accusation is that High Chief Kalejaiye's actions were self-serving and resulted in the misappropriation of community resources. The situation escalated further when it was revealed that High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye and his associate were pushing for the demolition of the community market.” 

All these allegations were baseless, malicious and concocted to defame me as I have never been in charge of the community’s resources either monetary or otherwise. Neither have I ever exploited the property of the community for self-gratification.  Instead I have spent my God-given wealth for the betterment of the people of the community.

On the market demolition allegation, I state with utmost responsibility that I have and would never push for the demolition of any market either within or outside the community.

Rather, as a voice for justice and social equity, I and four other Baales as at then with some CDA Chairmen have been on a steady push for the construction of affordable markets for our market men and women in Lagos and the establishment of Senior Secondary School in Ebute-meta (west) and the improvement on the socio-economic condition of the people of the district.

On 22 September 2003, Otumara Community Development Association wrote a letter to the Executive Secretary of Lagos Mainland Education District, Sabo, Yaba, titled, “Request to temporarily use the abandoned school compound in Otumara”.

Surprisingly, the abandoned space within the school premises that was referred to in the said letter is what is today known as the Otumara market which they alleged I was calling for its demolition. The letter was written and signed by N.A Muraina who was the Chairman of the Association at the time. The request was granted by the then Chairman of Yaba Local Government, Hon. Kayode Omiyale.

And trading activities commenced at the space unhindered. But as this was going, the market union leaders became exploitative.

They exploit innocent market men and women through daily collection of tolls from traders within the primary school premises in Otumara at the expense of quality and sound education for the children of the community.

And this is responsible for series of lies and sponsored defamatory articles against me.

On the construction of shops, I have been a businessman with interest in hospitality, construction and other legitimate businesses. This was even before I was enthroned as the traditional ruler of Otumara community by our revered King, HRM Oba Ganiu Oloto. 

In furtherance to this, I built blocks of shops to develop both aesthetically and economically the community. Since the shops were built, I have never imposed or forced its rental on any individual or group in the community. And this I will never do.

Also when the need for the construction of Senior Secondary came up, I wrote several letters to the State Ministry of Education citing the daily sufferings of our children journeying from Ebute-Metta to schools in Surulere where they are posted to complete their secondary education.

Graciously, our collective efforts paid off and the Lagos State Government initiated the commencement of the school project.

And seeing that their daily toll regime will soon come to an end with the interest shown in the project by the Lagos State Government, the rumour peddlers quickly swung into action and started peddling all sort of rumours and evil narrations about me.

Let me reiterate this, by the grace of God, the Lagos State Government and the support of the good people of Otumara community, the Senior Secondary School project will be achieved.

     

But I have a word of advice for the evildoers and rumour peddlers, there are consequences for all actions. So, I urge them to desist before their evil deeds would catch up with them.

And I challenge all well-meaning residents of Lagos Mainland to stand up for justice and truth as it is said that the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most is the reason evil triumph over good.

May evil never triumph over our affairs, Amen!

I remain High Chief Kehinde Kalejaiye, 

Baale, Otumara Community, Apapa road, Ojo-oniyun.

August 27, 2023.