The appointment of the Countryside Emerging Leaders Fellowship (CELF)’s convener, Dr Lawal Olalekan Olohungbebe, as the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Community Development to the Kwara State Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has been described as another clarion call to serve humanity.
The CELF volunteers, in a release signed on Monday by its Publicity Secretary, Dr Abdulrasheed Saadudeen, said the appointment of the astute community development practitioner is in recognition of his contributions to rural development across Kwara State.
According to the group: “As the convener and chief volunteer of non-governmental bodies, including the Volunteers of Ilorin Community and Environs (VOICE), Haashim Initiative for Community Advancement (HICA), and Hannis Institute of Development Studies (HIDS), Olohungbebe has demonstrated absolute zeal for youth development, civic engagements and community development. His tremendous capacity in identifying and proffering community-based solutions to community challenges has endeared him to many as a community mobiliser.
“Notable among the group’s interventions is the use of CELF to address rural-urban migration and dropouts among the youths, particularly in rural communities. A youth-based summit, tagged ‘Kwara Young CEOs’, was facilitated by the HICA to identify and support aspiring entrepreneurs in the state. It is also on record that the group facilitated political participation by organising ‘candidates’ forum’ in 2018 for gubernatorial aspirants from different political parties to engage Kwara youths with their manifestos”, the group added.
The CELF Volunteers, therefore, expressed its gratitude to His Excellency for considering it peremptory to recognise its convener’s contributions to rural development by entrusting him with this consequential public service role, adding that the SSA would bring to bear his wealth of experiences in performing his duties effectively and efficiently.