UK Based Efon Alaaye Man Elected  Councilor For Stevenage Borough Council In Hertfordshire 

… Promises To Partner Ekiti Government To Become Food Basket Of Nigeria 

By Joseph Sunday

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A United Kingdom, UK, based Efon Alaaye Man from Ekiti State in Nigeria, Akin Elekolusi who has lived there for over 36 years has recently been elected as the Councilor for Stevenage Borough Council in Herefordshire.

The newly elected UK Councilor, Akin  Elekolusi, in an online press conference held with journalists in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, said he was elected on the 3rd of May, 2024 as the only black man Councilor in his Stevenage Borough community after moved to Hertfordshire about 23 years ago. 

According to Akin Elekolusi, who said he was elected under the Labour Party in the United Kingdom, revealed that before his election, he has actively participated in activities of his community with his family and had no racial issues because his community people embraced his family and ensure he made positive imparts. 

Describing his victory at the Councilorship election in the United Kingdom, held on the 3rd of May, 2024; Mr Akin Elekolusi said, “over the years, he has always felt Britain has welcomed him, most especially when he moved to Stevenage with his family and was embraced by the community.

“We have never had any alterations in the community, we have never had any racial issue, my children have never complained any racial harassment. He revealed that his family acceptance earned him the election victory on the 3rd of May, 2024, from which he was the only black candidate that took part in the election out of the 39 seats available.

“After emerging victorious, my sense of joy and shock was very overwhelming as I felt I was in a movie and dreaming considering that Stevenage Borough community is a place with a predominantly white people, where there are not much racial issues affecting others from races. 

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“I am just even getting used to the idea of me being a councilor. Since May 3rd, anytime people calling me councillor, I used to think they are calling someone behind me”. 

The Stevenage Borough Community Councilor used the opportunity of the press conference to advocate and subscribe to the idea of a Parliamentary system of government in Nigeria as against the present Presidential system being practiced. 

He also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to return Nigeria to the era when the development taking place in the Country impacted directly on the grassroots areas, which allowed resources to be distributed based on whatever the region generated and those regions used their resources very well to develop themselves, and the style gave birth to the Cocoa house, roads and the free education which was introduced by the Late Sage Awolowo. 

He advise President Tinubu to take a cue from the UK system, where the National government’s powers are not concentrated into there Central government but revolves round the regions and there local councils with no middle tier like we have in Nigeria where  the state governors and local governments uses. 

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Equally, Elekolusi backed the idea of the Nigeria’s Attorney General that the States Electoral Commissions in the Country should be scrapped to allow only the  Independent National Electoral Commission to be conducting all elections in the Country including that of the local government areas across the country. He averred that Nigeria’s compounded bureaucracy has made governance to be too expensive and opined that it should be reduced to cut down on the Country’s expenses. 

Already, Elekolusi since his election has been given some Committee work to do as Councilor to oversee the Social Housing among other things. 

He however promised to ensure to work hard as a UK Councilor to be a good ambassador of his hometown of Efon Alaaye and Ekiti State to put it on the map through the wonderful opportunity that has been given to me. 

“The people of Ekiti will be hearing from me in one way or the other in some of the ideas and how we can pull it off and hopefully get things done. I will synergise with Ekiti government on some ideas bearing in mind I live in a county where farming is done excellently, I think some of those ideas need to be brought to Ekiti State. 

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He described Ekiti State as a potential food basket of Nigeria and expressed the sadness that the potentials of the State hasn’t been reached in that sense. All these ideas are things I hope to put before the necessary people to make sure that I engage with them along these lines and get things done for Ekiti people and hopefully create more employment and put Ekiti more on the map.

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