27th January, 2011
It was a heart rending story that Hon. Lawrence Ayeni, representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 1 told Assembly Matters about his growing up. He also discusses how he has managed the Committee on Youth and Sports as Chairman
How did you find your way into politics?
I was born in Ilesha, Osun State and as a child, my dad always took me along to political meetings during the period the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) was in existence. I left Ilesha to Lagos in 1979. During this period, Obafemi Awolowo lost the election and I came to Lagos with the aim of witnessing the swearing in of Shehu Shagari. When I got to Ojuelegba, I met a massive protest led by the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. So I went to my sister’s place in that area. This was how I found myself in Lagos. After some challenges, which included my inability to finish secondary school, I joined the Ewekoro Football Club. I also sat for the General Certificate Examinations, but the results were not alright. So I had to enrol and got admitted into the government technical college and graduated as a craftsman with a diploma in Mechanical Engineering. As a unionist then, I was elected the Sports Director.
While I was working, I was still playing football. I would go to work in the morning as a technician and go for training in the evening as a footballer. It got to a time, Abiola Babes bought Ewekoro and they took us to Abeokuta, but they ended up not picking me as one of the players. Back to Lagos in 1983, the issue of politics began again and I started attending their meetings with the determination that I must be someone in life. I continued like that till 1992 when I was elected as a delegate for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the presidential primaries in Jos. That same year, I established my own group within the party and became the coordinator for Tokunbo Awolowo, daughter of the late Awolowo. In 1993, I tried to contest as a councillor under the Zero Party, but I lost. At this period, I mixed politics with my job at President Clothing Ltd.
I was also made the agent coordinator to Abiola in the 1993 election. Till date, I kept the tag for history. In 1996, I joined the UNCP and contested again as a councillor and lost. I later fell ill and all hope seemed lost. Everybody around me thought I would die but I recovered.
When the Alliance for Democracy (AD) came on board, it had no name. Most politicians who had money to spend were in All Peoples Party (APP), but I pitched tent with the AD and contested as a councillor in Ogunoloko ward in Oshodi a third time and won and I was the Majority Leader then. We also thought we would be in office for four years, but the constitution did not provide for that so we found ourselves battling with between two and three years. Lagos made local government offices three-year tenure. It was here I learnt how to establish myself since I knew I would not want to pursue a second term. I decided to use the period after the position to go back to school. And since God helped me with that position against the hopelessness many believed I would remain perpetually, I floated the Hon. L.B. Ayeni Foundation. There we have free training for people in various vocational skills. By the time I was ready to contest as a lawmaker, the name ‘Ayeni’ was on almost every lip in my constituency and that was how I found my way to the State House of Assembly. Since I became a lawmaker, I doubled the empowerment for my people through the Foundation.
At one of the empowerment programmes you organised for your constituents, you mentioned that you went through challenges as a child. What are they?
If I tell you what I passed through in life, you would think I should not have been assisting people but it was the challenges that made me begin the Foundation as a fulfilment of my promise to God that I would assist others if He opened doors for me. I suffered to make it. When I worked with Five Star Industries and President Clothing Ltd, I trekked to and from work because salary could not take me anywhere. I also sold garri and wine to the workers to keep me going. Between 1984 and 1988, there was hardly any small company where I did not work. There was no brother or sister who could assist because they too did not have. Nobody invited me to Lagos, but I came in to witness a swearing in and decided to struggle for my future. Hardly can you see two people out of 10 that would survive what I passed through. Now I have a son in Babcock University, something I could not have thought of 10 years ago. I did not also know that I, who used to trek from Ijora to Oshodi daily, could own a car so soon. I would be 50 in March, yet what I have experienced is more than 50 years. For me, just as it is a testimony, it also shows that anyone who passes through this kind of experience would know how to handle people when he is in power. That is why till date, I still take okada and danfo once in a while. I don’t also have guards because I want to adapt since I don’t know what will happen in future. On 17 February, I would be empowering almost 1,000 people in Oshodi again. At least  700 of my students in the Foundation are through with their computer training. I will also give out hair dressing and tailoring equipment. It has become part of me to the extent that if I don’t do it, I will not be alright. If God can make me survive suffering, why should I suffer others? I have almost finished renovating the building which houses my Foundation so that people who come there to learn would be comfortable under air conditioners for free. I also sponsor 15 undergraduates and this is the first time I would reveal it. Once it is time, they come for their fees and money for textbooks. And by the grace of God, I will not stop.
What has been your experience as a legislator in the state?
There is a difference between the legislature at the local government and the state levels. What I have learnt here is that you must keep cool and learn else you won’t get there. I can now boast that I am a lawmaker unlike when I just came in because the training here has assisted me in several ways. During the next dispensation, by the grace of God, I would start pouring out all that I have learnt in the past four years. We also have a good leadership at the House. I am also proud of the Speaker of the House. Controlling 40 people is not easy.
At the beginning, my constituents were in haste to get things done, but I was able to make them understand that as a lawmaker, I can facilitate the development of my constituents which I have been doing. I have also been carrying them along and if they allow me represent them again, I would do more so that when I leave, even my children would be proud that their father tried while in government.
As Chairman, Committee on Youth and Sports, how have you been able to tackle the challenges of youths?
That aspect of my job is tasking. When I came in, there were a lot of problems, some beyond the Ministry in charge. But now, things have normalised and issues with the division among the youths have been solved. We also brought in a lot of policies which metamorphosed into the street soccer you now hear of as this is a way to empower them. The problems posed by area boys have reduced too. We also initiated the Speaker’s Cup in the State. We just had the fourth edition.
How do you relate with your constituency? I am their ambassador here and they have stood by me. Just as I have friends, I also have enemies, but I have continued to do my best. In Ajibolu area of my constituency, there was a road that would link us to the airport that was abandoned for a long time. When I met the Governor, I was told that it was a World Bank project. They told me that it would cost almost two years budget, but I realised that the bridge would open up the area. If you go there now, they are praying for me because I took the Governor to the place and he has now commenced work on it. I have also asked for 14 transformers within the area to assist business activities. There are a lot of other things that have happened in that place because I facilitated them. I know I would do more if my constituents allow me to come back as I seek their support.