By KP Reporter
Residents of Kosofe Federal Constituency have expressed frustration over how federal and state employment opportunities meant for the area are being handled. Speaking during a discussion on the KosofePost platform on Wednesday, they accused their representatives of diverting job slots to political loyalists rather than deserving youths.
Comrade Funmilayo Joseph, Coordinator of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Agboyi-Ketu, alleged that the practice has left many young people sidelined while politicians use employment opportunities to reward patronage.
“The honest truth is that most of our representatives are selfish. They get certain slots, either federal or state, but allocate them to leaders who then select people that have not laboured for the community or party. This is why some people who benefited from party slots still voted against the party during the last presidential election,” Joseph said.
He cited the recent immigration recruitment exercise, noting that none of the beneficiaries could be traced to Kosofe. According to him, representatives often use such opportunities to curry favour with senior political leaders rather than to serve their communities.
Joseph urged lawmakers to engage grassroots stakeholders, including youths, women, religious groups, and traditional institutions, when making such decisions. He also warned leaders against relying on sycophants who only seek personal gain.
“Our leaders should come down to the grassroots and listen to stakeholders. They should also beware of praise singers. Nigeria needs bold and courageous leadership,” he added.
Community leader Oloye Salami Oluwaseun echoed Joseph’s concerns, stressing the need for lawmakers to prioritise genuine empowerment. He praised Hon. Jimi Benson of Ikorodu Federal Constituency, who recently sponsored youths for overseas training, and Hon. Sanni Babatunde Okanlawon (OKLA), representing Kosofe Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly, who has reportedly facilitated jobs for many residents in TESCOM, SUBEB, LASU, and other agencies.
“If our lawmakers at state and federal levels followed Hon. Okla’s footsteps, unemployment in Kosofe would have been drastically reduced. Politicians should move away from old-fashioned rice-and-beans empowerment and focus on creating lasting job opportunities,” Salami stated.
Both speakers urged Kosofe’s current representative in the House of Representatives to leverage federal connections to secure civil service and agency jobs for constituents, arguing that sustainable employment is the surest way to reduce youth restiveness in the constituency.