Honorable Rotimi Agunsoye Gives Back To His Community.... He Empowers 200 Graduates In Kosofe Local Government.

The House of Representatives member representing Kosofe federal constituency area of Lagos State, Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye, says by putting smiles on the faces of others in meeting their needs, he relaxes too.

For some politicians, politics is simply about convincing people to vote for you, winning elections, serving your term and either returning home at the expiration of it or coming back to your constituency to ask for their votes again and again. Yet, for some others, politics is about the people, who voted you into office and as such, they could go the extra length to make them happy.

A member, House of Representatives from Kosofe Federal Constituency of Lagos State, Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye, is an example of politicians with a passion to give back to their constituencies and according to him, it is his most pleasurable and relaxing experience, when he is able to impact positively on peoples' lives.

To Agunsoye, holding elective office in trust for the people requires energy, time and commitment such that it does not leave ample time to play around. Yet, for him, who has always relished the company of people as a way to unwind, identifying their peculiar needs and meeting those needs - within his capacity - would pass for a perfect pastime. "Politics, particularly for those holding elective offices are quite demanding in the sense that you have to work tirelessly to meet the aspirations of your people at all times. Whenever I am able to do something that puts smiles on the faces of my people, I would say that is what relaxes me.

"I feel very comfortable and happy when I am sure that what I have done is having positive impacts on my constituency and that is my purpose in politics," he said last Monday during a skill acquisition empowerment scheme in the oil and gas, constructions, ICT and agriculture he had organised for 200 graduates. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, Hon Gbenga Ashafa, Hon Mrs Kemi Nelson, Hon Desmond Elliot and lot more were present at the event.

Unlike most other empowerment schemes, Agunsoye's programme, which is being undertaken in collaboration with Nationwide Apprenticeship Scheme for Technicians, Artisans, Entrepreneurs and Agro-preneurs, is designed to professionally prepare and equip the 200 trainees and secure them with job placement with blue chip companies after the training, even in the establishments, where they received their trainings.

According to the lawmaker, the trainees will also enjoy monthly stipends from him as encouragement in the course of undertaking the various courses, which would last for more than six months. He considers the initiative as a better empowerment package compared to the conventional system where most of the equipment given out is sold. "But with what we are doing, we are not giving them fish (money), instead, we are teaching them how to fish and I can assure you that it will have greater impact."

Asked what his motivation for embarking on the scheme was, Agunsoye said: "I consider it as a way to give back to the people, who brought me to where I am today. One way or the other, these people brought me to where I am today; to step beyond a life and a job I love, to make a commitment to larger course, preserving Kosofe, Lagos State, Yoruba and the Nigerian dream - restoring hopes of the forgotten people of this constituency and reclaiming the future of our children.

"Without mincing words, in today's Nigeria, the ravaging disease facing our economy remains unemployment. It is a terrible thing, but unfortunately it has become an everyday normality. Unfortunately, there is an abundance of workers but not enough jobs. On the other hand, there are plenty of jobs but workers do not have the right skills of experience to handle the jobs. "Either way, these have made unemployment to be on a steady increase, a trend that further plunges the Nigerian economy. It has led to series of societal menaces and it is making living extremely frustrating to the unemployed youths.

"Therefore, on my part, I want to reinvent representation, make it more different - people oriented, efficient and more impacting.