By MOSHOOD OSHUNFUREWA
Nigeria’s debate over local government autonomy has often been reduced to a political contest between federal and state authorities. But beneath the constitutional arguments lies a more important question: what happens when local governments are given the opportunity to govern effectively and use public resources to improve the lives of their people? Across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, the answer varies. In some places, the promise of grassroots governance remains trapped in political interference, weak accountability and poor service delivery. Yet there are emerging examples showing that when local leadership places people at the centre of governance, democracy becomes more than an election-day ritual.
Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area in Lagos State provides an interesting case. For decades, Ajegunle, which forms a major part of the local government, has often been portrayed through the narrow lens of insecurity, poverty and social unrest. But such descriptions fail to capture the energy, enterprise and resilience of its people. The real question is whether governance can unlock these strengths and convert them into better living conditions.
Within his first year in office, the Executive Chairman of Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government, Hon. Olalekan Olu Akindipe, has sought to demonstrate that possibility. The local government’s financial position makes effective leadership even more important. Ajeromi-Ifelodun reportedly received N8.45 billion in federal allocation in the first quarter of 2026, while N2.15 billion was recorded for April 2026. Such resources carry a significant responsibility. They should translate into services and opportunities that residents can see, feel and benefit from.
Democracy becomes meaningful when public resources produce public value. In healthcare, the ongoing construction of the ultra-modern Akere Primary Health Centre stands out as one of the administration’s major infrastructure investments. The planned two-storey facility is expected to expand access to affordable and quality primary healthcare, reducing the pressure on residents who may otherwise have to travel farther for medical attention. But infrastructure alone does not make a healthcare system work. Services must reach people before illness becomes a crisis. This is why the administration’s focus on routine immunisation, disease prevention, maternal and child health, tuberculosis awareness, health screening and school-based interventions is important. The ongoing 2026 Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health Week, with free family planning, antenatal and postnatal services, de-worming, malnutrition screening, Vitamin A supplementation and growth monitoring, reflects a preventive approach to healthcare.
The logic is straightforward. A government that prevents illness saves families from avoidable expenses and reduces pressure on public health facilities. In a densely populated community, prevention is not simply a health policy; it is an economic strategy.
Education represents another important pillar. The construction of a modern 14-classroom block at Oluwa Nursery and Primary School, Achakpo, is designed to provide pupils with a better learning environment. The inclusion of a fully equipped Home Economics laboratory also points to a broader understanding of education, one that combines academic learning with practical skills, creativity and innovation. This is critical because the future of Ajeromi-Ifelodun will depend on the quality of human capital it develops today. The administration has also placed young people at the centre of its economic strategy. Within its one year, business support grants ranging from N50,000 to N500,000 were provided to resident youths, while outstanding students received N100,000 academic grants.
The proposed one-year anniversary interventions further expand this approach. They include N250,000 scholarships for 100 newly admitted tertiary students, N100,000 bursaries for 100 students already in tertiary institutions, 15 laptops for first-class graduates and additional business support for young entrepreneurs. These initiatives recognise an important reality: youth empowerment cannot be reduced to speeches. Young people need education, tools, finance and opportunities to turn skills into livelihoods. The proposed Mega Women and Youth Summit 2026 takes this thinking further. The planned distribution of 50 deep freezers, 50 industrial sewing machines, 50 tailoring stone machines, 25 welding machines, 25 shoe-making machines, 100 cake mixers, 25 vulcanising machines, 100 professional make-up kits, 50 solar generators and business support packages for 10 beneficiaries represents a substantial investment in productive assets.
The planned welfare support for 3,000 widows and senior citizens, including 10kg bags of rice and cash assistance, also recognises that development must include social protection.
However, empowerment programmes must be judged by what happens after distribution. A sewing machine can become a business. So can a freezer, welding machine or solar generator. But the real measure of success is whether beneficiaries use these assets to generate income, employ others and build sustainable enterprises. This is where transparency becomes essential. Beneficiaries should be selected based on genuine need, business readiness and the capacity to use the assets productively, rather than political loyalty. Government should also provide mentorship, financial literacy, business monitoring and periodic impact assessments.
That is how an empowerment programme becomes an economic development programme. The larger lesson from Ajeromi-Ifelodun is that local government autonomy should not be discussed only as a constitutional or political issue. It should also be measured by outcomes.
Can residents access better healthcare? Are children learning in decent classrooms? Are young people finding pathways into employment and enterprise? Are vulnerable citizens receiving support? Are public resources producing measurable improvements in everyday life?
These are the questions that matter. One year cannot solve every challenge facing a complex and densely populated local government. But it can reveal the direction of leadership.
Ajeromi-Ifelodun’s experience under Akindipe suggests that grassroots governance can be reimagined around human development, preventive healthcare, education, youth enterprise and social welfare. The real test now is continuity, transparency and measurable impact. Because local government autonomy will ultimately be judged not by who controls the funds, but by what those funds achieve. And when residents can see, feel and benefit from good governance, democracy finally becomes visible where it matters most – in the everyday lives of the people.
•Oshunfurewa, a public affairs analyst, writes from Lagos.
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