In October 2003, under the administration of Bola Tinubu, a bill by the Lagos State House of Assembly created 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDA) from the original 20 Local Government Areas to foster grassroots development in Lagos.
In Ikeja LGA, two LCDAs were created: Ojodu and Onigbongbo.
This piece offers some information about Onigbongbo LCDA. Which communities are grouped under the LCDA? What makes the LCDA different? And, for the past two decades, has it brought the government closer to the people?
Onigbongbo LCDA and politics
Onigbongbo LCDA has six wards under its jurisdiction.
Ward A covers the Ogundana Street area which is off Allen Avenue, down to the Onigbongbo LCDA secretariat area.
Ward B covers the Ikeja GRA axis while Ward C covers only the Wasinmi Sonibare area. Ward D zone covers the Opebi and Allen Avenue communities. Ward E extends from Oregun to the Alausa axis. Ward F covers the Olusosun area, the left side of Ojota and Cane Village in Maryland.
The Executive Chairman of Onigbongbo LCDA is Honourable Oladotun Olakanle. This LCDA has two secretariat offices, The first is located at 2/4, Community Road, off Allen Avenue.
This first secretariat houses the office of the chairman, vice chairman and the Ikeja NYSC CDS centre.
The second secretariat office is located at Abule Onigbangbo axis.
Trade and markets in Onigbongbo
Kuyasin Awushe Onigbongbo market is a popular trade market in Onigbongbo LCDA. Located in Maryland and popularly referred to as Onigbongbo market, it is a hub for the sales of foodstuffs, groceries, and household items.
Alade market is also a trade hub in Onigbongbo LCDA. It is located off Obafemi Awolowo Way and was established in the 80s by the Lagos state government.
In 2016, the government relocated all the traders from the original Alade market site to the temporary site along Awolowo Way, Ikeja pending the development of a modern shopping centre at the original location on Allen Avenue Road.
The market has several shops selling food items, clothes, jewellery, and household goods.
The Cane Village Market is also a hub for arts and crafts items like cane furniture, woven baskets, mats, cane design household decorations, and more. Various items in this market are locally made by the artisans, from the beautiful swing chairs to the lounge chairs you might have probably sat on at a bar or restaurant.
Education in Onigbongbo
Apart from private schools, the Onigbongbo is host to a number of state-owned primary and secondary schools.
Schools around these communities include; Community Primary School, Wasimi; Community Junior High School; Oregun Senior and Junior High School; Ikeja Senior High School, Agindingbi; Olusosun Primary School among others.
Healthcare in Onigbongbo
Onigbongbo LCDA has eight healthcare centres to cater to the medical needs of the people in all the six wards.
Some of the healthcare centres include Onigbongbo Primary Health Care Centre; Oregun Primary Health Care Center; Wasimi Primary Health Centre; Opebi Primary Health Centre, Beko Ransome-Kuti Primary Health Centre, Bola Ahmed Tinubu Primary Health Centre, Abule Onigbagbo Primary Health Centre and Olusosun Primary Health Centre.
They all operate on a 24-hour basis from Monday to Saturday.
Sports in Onigbongbo
In 2022, Wilfred Ndidi, a Leicester City of England and Super Eagles defensive midfielder, revealed how playing for the Lagos Junior League made a great impact on his career as a professional footballer. Ndidi’s story is one of the proofs that sports like football unite youths in a community and also help their professional career.
Each ward in Onigbongbo has a football club and they regularly hold friendly matches and even tournaments. Their team also trains to play with other LCDA football clubs at the Lagos Junior League tournaments.
Has Onigbongbo LCDA brought government closer to the people?
This depends on who you ask. When The Record went to the streets recently to ask residents about the quality of local governance, the responses were mostly negative. But a spokeswoman for the local council, insisted that the local administration was doing its best.