By Olaseeni Oyesusi
“Leadership is service where it hurts most — in the classroom, in the market, and at home.”
In Akure South and Akure North, politics is often judged not by speeches in Abuja, but by what changes in the child’s backpack on Monday morning.
For the past few years, Hon. Bala has chosen a different kind of politics. Less noise. More presence. The kind that shows up in school assembly grounds, in market rows at 7am, and in skill centers after hours.
It is not about grandstanding. It is about closing the small gaps that keep big dreams stuck. A bag. A uniform. A textbook. A chance to write JAMB. A tank of water.
Across the two LGAs, these interventions have quietly added up. And that is why, as conversations about representation begin again, one name keeps coming up from teachers, parents, traders, and young people: Bala is good to go.
Here is why:
1. Bag A Child: Restoring Dignity
About 500 children who once carried books in nylon bags or under their arms now go to school with proper backpacks. In many schools, principals say the program reduced late-coming and absenteeism. “Children are proud to come to school when they don’t feel different,” a headteacher in Akure West said.
2. Clearing School Fees: Keeping Children in Class
Over 100 pupils in government schools had their term fees paid directly. No bureaucracy. No waiting lists. For families struggling with rising costs, it meant their children did not have to sit out a term or drop out entirely.
3. Dress A Child: Confidence in the Classroom
More than 100 students received new school uniforms. Others got torn ones replaced. Beyond clothing, the impact is psychological. Teachers report better participation from students who previously hid because of tattered clothes.
4. Putting Books Back in Schools
A major book drive saw over 5,000 textbooks and exercise books distributed to 10 public schools across Akure South/West. Subjects covered include English, Mathematics, Sciences, and Civic Education. For the first time in years, some school libraries are functional again.
5. Investing in Sports and Talent
Two secondary schools received full support for extracurricular sports — kits, equipment, and stipends for coaches. The aim is twofold: discover athletic talent early, and give students a healthy outlet beyond the classroom.
6. Water: Easing a Daily Burden
In communities facing acute water shortages, industrial water tanks were installed to provide immediate relief. The impact has been direct: less time spent trekking for water, better hygiene in homes, and fewer cases of water-related illness reported by local health centers.
7. Skills That Pay: 55 Young People Trained
Fifty-five young Akure indigenes completed training in 10 vocational areas including fashion design, catering, ICT, electrical works, and barbing. Each graduate received starter packs to begin work immediately. The goal is simple: skills that translate to income without waiting for white-collar jobs.
8. Opening the University Door: 100 JAMB Forms
For the 2026 JAMB exercise, 100 forms were procured for qualified but indigent school leavers. Many of the beneficiaries are first-generation university aspirants. Follow-up support is also being provided for post-UTME preparation.
9. Standing With Market Women
Year after year, financial support is extended to women in 5 major markets across Akure South/West. It is not a loan scheme. It is direct support to help them restock, expand, and stay afloat amid rising costs. Market leaders describe it as “support that comes with respect.”
10. Equipping Students and Supporting Teachers
Over 600 mathematical sets were distributed to SS1-SS3 students ahead of WAEC and NECO. At the same time, on every school visit, teachers receive teaching aids and welfare support. “He doesn’t just ask about students,” one principal said. “He asks about us too.”
A Pattern, Not a Project
What makes these interventions stand out is not just the numbers. It is the pattern.
They are consistent. They are local. And they are human.
The Bag A Child program runs every resumption. The market support comes every year. The school visits are not tied to campaigns. The skill training creates livelihoods, not photo ops.
In a political climate where many only appear during elections, that consistency builds trust.
What People Are Saying
In Oja Oba, a trader said: “He greets us by name.”
In a classroom in Ijapo, a JSS2 student said: “This is my first new uniform.”
In a skill center, a graduate said: “I have my own shop now because of the starter kit.”
These are not campaign slogans. They are daily realities.
The Bigger Picture
Representation should do two things: speak for the people in Abuja, and work for the people at home.
On the home front, the record is clear. From education to water, from skills to small business support, the focus has been on removing the barriers that keep ordinary families down.
As Akure South/North looks ahead, the question on the minds of many voters is not complicated.
It is: “Who has been with us? Who has delivered?”
By that measure, the case being made in communities is direct and growing louder.
COMMENTS