By Bilesanmi Abayomi
The recent KosofePost publication titled “From Cabinet to Community: Why a Commissioner’s Appointment Matters in Lagos” has continued to stir reactions among stakeholders and community leaders in Kosofe.
Comrade Funmilayo Joseph, Coordinator of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Agboyi-Ketu Branch, welcomed the article and emphasized the need for political appointees—whether at the federal, state, or local level—to remember that their offices exist to serve the people they represent. He urged appointees to constantly remind their principals that visibility in the community must go beyond rhetoric, extending to youth inclusivity, skills training, women empowerment, and infrastructure development.
“As an appointee, you are representing your people in that cabinet,” Joseph noted. “Always inform your boss about having a presence in your community through empowerment and development projects.” He further acknowledged that many appointees are often assigned to parastatals outside their core expertise but insisted that such challenges should not be an excuse for inaction. Instead, he encouraged them to learn on the job and seize every opportunity to impact lives. Pointing to Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the Minister of Interior, as a model, Joseph said: “At the end of the day, our aim is to make Nigeria and the offices we occupy better than we met them.”
Adding his voice, Taiwo Lasisi, President of Ta’awun Political Forum in Lagos, described the KosofePost article as an eye-opener that speaks to different categories of readers and political stakeholders. In his view, it serves the curiosity of opinion readers seeking socio-political education, provides enlightenment to communities yearning for information, offers guidance to politicians hoping for nomination into cabinet positions, and challenges current public officials to step up their performance.
Lasisi, in particular, urged the Lagos State Commissioner for Waterfront, who hails from Kosofe, to focus on employment facilitation, empowerment programs, and community-based services. His call echoes earlier public demands for lawmakers and political leaders in the area to provide more genuine empowerment opportunities rather than token interventions.
“The appointment of an Honourable Commissioner into the Lagos State Executive Council is more than a mark of political recognition,” Lasisi concluded. “It serves as an opportunity for empowerment, employment, and community development.”