CITIZENS COMPASS— The Igbogbo/Baiyeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Ikorodu, Lagos State, yesterday, partnered the Almubarak Islamic Foundation to drive entrepreneurship skills in the council.
With the partnership, the Council will incorporate 3-Day Entrepreneurship Training of the Foundation into the Council’s development framework.
The collaboration underscores the administration’s commitment to empowering residents, particularly clerics and community leaders, with practical, faith-aligned entrepreneurial skills aimed at fostering economic resilience, social cohesion and sustainable livelihoods.
The recently held training, convened by Sheikh Lookman AbdulRasaq Almubarak was designed to promote enterprise development anchored on the principles of Islam, while advancing values of peace, unity and responsible economic participation. At a time when communities face increasing socio-economic pressures, the initiative provides a structured pathway for capacity building and mindset transformation.
Addressing participants, Aroyewun described the programme as “far more than a capacity-building exercise; it is a transformative movement that equips our people to embrace entrepreneurship, strengthen unity, and build prosperity on a foundation of faith and discipline.” He urged attendees to move beyond participation to practical application, noting that “learning is evolving, and we must evolve with it.”
He further announced the formal adoption and integration of the programme into the LCDA’s policy framework under the Learning pillar of the HOA GLORY Agenda, the administration’s governance blueprint, which prioritises knowledge acquisition, skills development and human capital advancement as drivers of long-term growth.
“By embedding this initiative within our development agenda, we are not merely supporting a programme; we are making a deliberate investment in our people,” the Chairman stated. “When individuals are equipped with the right knowledge and tools, they become agents of change within their communities. When we educate one, we empower many; and when we empower many, we transform generations.”
The event attracted high-level participation, including the Special Guest of Honour, Senator Ganiu Solomon (GOS), whose presence reinforced the strategic importance of the initiative. The Council also acknowledged the goodwill and royal support of His Royal Majesty, Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali, Adeboruwa of Igbogbo Kingdom, whose patronage added cultural significance to the programme.
The success of the training was further driven by a distinguished faculty of facilitators, including Alhaji Uzamat Kayode Tajudeen (NTA), Prof. Bushra Zakiniyah Olalekan (Zakspreneur Academy), Prof. Sheriff Adekoya, Alhaji Gbadamosi, Sheikh Ishaq Falagba, and Mr AbdulRasaq Lateef, all of whom delivered insightful and practical sessions.
A pivotal contribution was made by Prof. Olalekan Bushra Sakariyau, founder of Zakspreneur Academy, whose expertise in entrepreneurship development, Islamic finance and agricultural enterprise – spanning engagements with institutions such as the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Entrepreneurship Development Centre at FUT Minna, and international organisations including the World Bank and GIZ – played a key role in shaping the Council’s decision to adopt the programme.
The Igbogbo/Baiyeku LCDA Administration calls on all stakeholders to support this initiative as part of a broader commitment to strengthening local enterprise, promoting self-reliance and building a more prosperous and resilient community.
