By Adeyinka Adeniran
Stakeholders across Nigeria’s media, academic, and development sectors have converged to declare that the revitalization of the country’s 774 local government areas and constitutionally recognized Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) is the foundational requirement for sustainable national growth.
Delivering keynote addresses and remarks at the official launch of the Nigeria Local Government News (NLGN) Development Communication Media Ecosystem at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Jericho, Ibadan, experts emphasized that the nation’s historical “one-step-forward, two-steps-backward” trajectory can only be corrected by abandoning ineffective top-down models in favor of grassroots-centered development.
In his keynote speech, a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Ajayi Crowther University (ACU), Oyo, Prof. Muyiwa Popoola noted that Nigeria’s persistent underdevelopment is intrinsically linked to pervasive poverty at the community level, arguing that central and state governments can never reach the grassroots effectively unless local authorities are constitutionally empowered.
“The government at the center and the various states might do a lot, but it will never get to the people at the grassroots unless the local governments are constitutionally empowered to deliver the true dividends of democracy,” Popoola stated.
He highlighted that recent Supreme Court rulings on financial autonomy have heightened the responsibility expected of local administrators.
Prof Popoola further emphasized that development communication must transcend traditional political publicity to become an active tool for social transformation, public accountability, and civic education.
Echoing the same sentiments, a former Acting Rector of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Dr. Femi Ipadeola, stressed that national success should not be measured merely by events in presidential villas or state houses, but by the tangible welfare of everyday citizens in their local wards and neighborhoods.
He critiqued the prevailing top-down approach inherited from military command structures, asserting that true transformation requires building the mental, legal, and social infrastructure of the citizenry from the bottom up.
Dr. Ipadeola said, “We refuse to understand that the model we’ve been using is wrong, which is the bottom-down approach,” Ipadeola remarked, pointing out that sustainable progress demands active citizen participation and proper psychological orientation rather than the mere construction of physical structures.
He cautioned media practitioners against serving as mere mouthpieces or public relations tools for political officeholders, urging instead an independent, evidence-driven journalism that tracks budgets, investigates abandoned projects, and provides a platform for ordinary citizens.
“Your first priority should be focused on changing the ingrained mindset of the average Nigerian citizen towards local government administration,” Ipadeola advised, adding that robust community engagement is vital to ensuring that local government serves as the true engine of national socio-economic development.
Adding his voice to the initiative, the board Chairman of the platform, a former Spokesman to Late President Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Garba Shehu, commended the establishment of NLGN, wishing the launch in Ibadan a successful event as it sets out to drive impactful media discourse nationwide.
Also speaking, Mr. Seun Ajeigbe expressed strong support for the launch of Nigeria Local Government News (NLGN), describing it as a highly responsive and rare initiative that directly addresses the needs of ordinary people across the globe.
He emphasized that true development must flow from the grassroots to higher levels, noting that his long-standing professional relationship with NLGN publisher Tosin Bakare has always focused on ensuring everyone benefits from governance.
Ajeigbe highlighted that beyond physical infrastructure like bridges and roads, the mental cultivation and mindset of the citizenry are critical to sustainable development. He expressed optimism that the platform will successfully reach every citizen, shift the mindset of the nation’s leadership, and bridge the gap between grassroots realities and effective governance.
Expanding on tte vision, the Publisher of NLGN, Mr. Tosin Bakare, explained that the creation of the platform stems from a weariness of pervasive poverty and a firm belief that true democratic dividends can only reach the grassroots when local governments are genuinely empowered.
Bakare stressed that NLGN is designed to pioneer development journalism, acting not as a public relations lapdog for political figures, but as a watchdog and a constructive template for grassroots governance.
He noted that utilizing innovative flipbook technology, the monthly publication aims to instantly reach chairmen, councilors, and constituents across the federation, extending its professional consultancy and media coverage across print, radio, and television.
The programme also featured a panel session where experts from various fields on communication and governance also harped on the need for the LGAs to be allowed to function optimally in the developmental interest of the people at the grassroots.
Hhighpoint of the event was the unveiling of the hardcopy of the magazine and presentation of awards of recognition to deserving individuals while gift items were also presented to participants who won’t through raffle.
