By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
The Chairman of Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area, Hon (Dr) Seyi Jakande, has defended the council’s subsidised Ileya ram sales initiative, insisting that the programme is designed to ease economic pressure on residents while encouraging civic participation through voter registration.
Jakande spoke during the council’s subsidised Ileya ram sales programme held on Monday, 25 May, 2026 within the LCDA, where residents purchased rams valued between ₦350,000 and ₦400,000 for ₦80,000.
The initiative, which drew large crowds despite heavy rainfall earlier in the day, formed part of the council’s festive support programme for residents ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
Describing the exercise as a continuation of people-oriented governance, the council chairman said the programme aligns with promises made during his election campaign to sustain community-focused initiatives in the area.
“During our election campaign, I promised the people progressive governance and continuation of all the people-oriented and people-centric programmes, and of course this is one of them,” Jakande said.
He explained that the intervention was introduced to cushion the effects of the current economic situation, especially during festive periods when families are expected to celebrate.
“We will continue to initiate programmes like this to mitigate the hardship, especially in seasons like this when people are expected to celebrate and rejoice during Ileya,” he added.
Jakande also addressed criticisms surrounding the council’s decision to request Permanent Voter Cards as a means of identification for beneficiaries.
According to him, the exercise was not tied to party membership, but rather intended to encourage civic responsibility and voter participation.
“It is our belief that people who should benefit from the dividends of democracy should be people who participate in the democratic process,” he said.
He further clarified that residents were not required to present party cards to access the programme.
“We are not requesting for any party card or party membership. You can choose not to be a party member, but we believe it is your civic responsibility to register as a voter once you are 18 years and above,” he stated.
The Odiolowo-Ojuwoye LCDA Chairman explained that the PVC was adopted because it serves as proof of residency within the community.
“We believe that with your PVC, you are a member of our community because it contains your locality and address,” he said.
Responding to concerns over the timing and organisation of the exercise following rainfall in the morning, Jakande said the council deliberately shifted the programme to the afternoon to ensure smoother coordination and protect residents from the rain.
“We were supposed to start in the morning, but because of my experience as former vice chairman, I knew it would be unfair to conduct the exercise under heavy rainfall. That was why we shifted it to 2 p.m.,” he explained.
He added that despite the crowd, residents conducted themselves in an orderly and disciplined manner throughout the exercise.
On the financial implications of the subsidy, Jakande said the initiative was part of the council’s welfare-driven policy aimed at reducing economic pressure on residents.
“These are more like equality plans where we believe people in our community must be able to celebrate this occasion,” he said.
According to him, the council deliberately reduced the cost burden on residents, noting that even the ₦80,000 subsidised rate still required sacrifice from low-income earners.
“This is our own shared balance where we mitigate pressure within the community and ensure people do not suffer while also participating in the Salah celebration,” he added.
One of the beneficiaries, Hon .Bakare Kazeem, said the initiative was not new to the community, recalling that the programme started in 2017 under the previous administration.
“We started this programme in 2017 chickens during Christmas and rams during the Ileya period. This is the ninth year, so it is not a new thing in Odi-Olowo/Ojuwoye,” he said.
Kazeem noted that residents had benefited from the intervention for almost a decade, adding that current market prices for rams were significantly higher than the subsidised amount charged by the council.
“Presently, rams are worth about ₦450,000, but we are getting them for ₦80,000,” he said.
While commending the council, he advised the administration to improve logistics during future exercises, particularly during periods of rainfall.
“The rain affected the process today. Some people came and left without benefiting. They should improve the arrangements whenever there is rainfall,” he said.
Kazeem, however, praised the administration for sustaining the programme despite the transition in leadership.
“It is not easy for somebody to take over government and continue what the previous administration was doing. They should keep it up,” he added.
Another beneficiary, Falilat Adewunmi, also commended the council chairman for the initiative, describing the intervention as timely and impactful.
“We thank God for Honorable Seyi Jakande. He has done very well for us,” she said.
Adewunmi noted that the subsidised pricing made the rams affordable for ordinary residents, adding that market prices could range between ₦200,000 and ₦250,000 or more.
She appealed to the council to sustain and expand the programme in future years.
“They should put more effort everywhere. It should continue more and more,” she said.
