By Julius Peter, Abuja
The Executive Chairman of Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State, Hon. Olalekan Akindipe, has received the National Leadership Award 2026 in recognition of his contributions to grassroots development, leadership and service to humanity.
Akindipe, who was honoured alongside other distinguished Nigerians at the award ceremony, described the recognition as a motivation to redouble his efforts in serving the people and contributing to the development of his community.
Speaking shortly after receiving the award, the council chairman expressed appreciation to the organisers for recognising his efforts, saying the honour would encourage him to do more in the service of humanity.
He said, “This award will make me double what I have been doing before. I will continue to do my best to support humanity. I did not know that people were watching from far what I have been doing for humanity.”
Akindipe also commended the Lagos State Government for what he described as its efforts in creating a conducive environment for local government administration and development across the state.
He expressed appreciation to the Governor of Lagos State for his leadership and support, noting that the enabling environment provided by the state government had helped local government authorities discharge their responsibilities effectively.
According to him, the award did not come to him as a complete surprise because of the programmes and initiatives being implemented by his administration to improve the lives of residents of Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area.
He said his administration remained committed to ensuring that the dividends of democracy reached residents at the grassroots, stressing that the essence of governance was to improve the quality of life of the people.
“I am not surprised by this honour because I know what we are doing in our local government to better the lives of our people and make sure the dividends of democracy reach everybody in the community,” he said.
The chairman further expressed gratitude to the organisers of the National Leadership Award for finding him worthy of the recognition, describing the honour as an encouragement to continue pursuing initiatives that would positively impact residents.
Akindipe was accompanied to the ceremony by the Vice Chairman of the council, Hon. Ajibola Ashabi Ugbo; the Leader of the Council, Hon. Olayinka Samson; and the Chief of Staff to the Chairman, Ogun Semasa.
The presence of the council’s top officials at the event underscored the significance attached to the recognition and the administration’s commitment to collective leadership and grassroots development.
The organisers of the award said the honour was designed to celebrate excellence, integrity and visionary leadership in Nigeria.
They noted that over the past 22 years, the prestigious award had served as a symbol of honour and recognition for men and women who had distinguished themselves through hard work, innovation and service to humanity.
The organisers said the awardees were selected in recognition of their contributions to society and their demonstrated commitment to leadership and public service.
For Akindipe, the recognition represents not only an honour but also a renewed responsibility to the people of Ajeromi-Ifelodun.
He pledged to use the encouragement provided by the award to intensify his efforts toward improving the welfare of residents and supporting initiatives aimed at advancing development at the grassroots.
The council chairman’s recognition adds to a growing emphasis on the role of local government leadership in delivering democratic dividends directly to communities, particularly through programmes and policies that address the everyday needs of residents.
