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Legislative profile: Sylvester Ogunkelu

 

Sylvester Oluwadahunsi Ogunkelu, a member of the All Progress Congress (APC), represents Epe 2 in the 10th Lagos State House of Assembly.

According to one metric, Mr. Ogunkelu is one of the top performing lawmakers in the 10th assembly.

He was first elected into the House in 2019.

Mr Ogunkelu is an alumnus of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo.

Early Life

Mr. Ogunkelu was born on October 1, 1979. His father hails from Ibonwon and his mother from Igboye, both under Eredo LCDA in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos state.

He attended Army Barracks Primary School, Epe, from 1987 to 1992, and completed his secondary education between 1993 and 1998. He then pursued higher education at LASU from 1998 to 2004.

He later obtained a master’s degree in public administration from LASU and earned a professional qualification from the Institute of Business Strategy (IBS) in 2014.

During his university years, Mr. Ogunkelu participated in student unionism, and was elected financial secretary of the LASU students union government.

Before entering politics, he served as the Head of Operations at the informal sector service, Ajah Tax Office, in the Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue.

He later ventured into the sand dredging business and was elected Vice-Chairman of the Mining Association, Lagos State, serving from 2011 to 2019.

Afterward, he transitioned into the oil and gas industry and car sales.

Political career 

Widely known by his nickname “Sketel,” Mr. Ogunkelu was first elected to the House in 2019, serving as part of the 9th Assembly.

In recognition of his contributions to the community and commitment to public service, the LASU  chapter of the Federation of Epe Division Students’ Association honoured him with an award, highlighting his influence and impact within his constituency.

Legislative Work

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Ogunkelu distributed palliatives to his constituents, providing much-needed relief in a time of crisis.

In 2022, he launched a community empowerment initiative, distributing essential business tools and equipment such as grinding machines, sewing machines, vulcanizing machines, barbering tools, deep freezers, and hairdressing equipment. This support was aimed at helping local entrepreneurs improve their businesses across the 11 wards of his constituency. He also gave cash handouts of N10,000 to 500 elderly beneficiaries as part of this effort.

In 2023, Mr. Ogunkelu continued his tradition of supporting his community by distributing rams, cows, cash, and palliatives to constituents, community leaders, and royal fathers during the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

On June 2, 2023, he was honoured with a merit award at the 9th Assembly valedictory service for his dedicated service from 2019 to 2023. That same year, he facilitated the construction of Mosafejo Road in Agbowa.

In 2024, he spearheaded several key projects. In January, his Ogunkelu Educational Initiatives Committee began generating JAMB PINs for 750 beneficiaries, providing students with opportunities for higher education.

By April, he had organised the third edition of his foodstuff and cash distribution initiative, which focused on supporting the residents of Agbowa during tough economic times.

On April 20, 2024, he facilitated the installation of a 300KVA transformer for the Ora community in Ward K1, Eredo LCDA, addressing their electricity needs.

During his June 2024 Ileya tour, he visited all the wards in his constituency to celebrate Eid al-Kabir, where he donated one million naira to each ward in Eredo LCDA. That same month, he presented the Lagos State Geographic Information Service Bill at the House. The bill is aimed at improving geographic information services across the state.

By August 2024, Mr. Ogunkelu had overseen the upgrade of the 300KVA transformer in the Ora community to a 500KVA transformer. The original 300KVA transformer was relocated to the Odoshiwola community in Ward J1, along with donations of poles and wires to ensure the installation was successful.

Omon Okhuevbie
Omon Okhuevbie
Omon is a staff reporter at the Ikeja Record.

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