Leadership must mean Something – Hon Rukayat Shittu
Two years ago, I walked into the Kwara State House of Assembly with a people’s mandate that could not be ignored. I did not merely want to occupy a seat, but I had a heart full of purpose: to give meaningful representation to the dreams, voices, and struggles of our people.
I was not just the youngest parliamentarian in the state and the country, I was a daughter of grassroots Nigeria, raised in the reality of struggle, resilience, and the hunger for change.
Since then, I have remained true to my roots and committed to delivering a leadership that listens, feels, and acts because, to me, leadership must mean something.
In these two years, our journey has not been about making speeches, but about results, to the almost 1000 communities within Owode Onire State Constituency.
Thankfully, we have in His Excellency, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, CON, a leader not only driven by development, but also by inclusion and because of his transformative mindset, I have consistently leveraged on his administration to advance support for my constituency.
Illuminating communities
Out of the about 1000 communities in our rural Owode Onire State constituency, there’s a significant number that had never seen electricity. As of today, we have successfully installed over 200 off-grid solar-powered streetlights, bringing light, safety, and dignity to places many never knew existed. That light is more than illumination, it’s a symbol of inclusion.
To further deepen access to energy, I sponsored the Kwara State Energy Bill in order to align our state with Nigeria’s new decentralized energy policy and paving the way for energy sovereignty, so that Kwara can truly own its energy future.
This legislation intends to empower Kwara State to control its energy destiny and unlock opportunities for investment and innovation in the power sector.
It is my hope that, if the bill is passed, rural electrification, which is one of the components of the bill, not just Owode Onire, but the entire rural communities in Kwara State will stand a more realistic chance of gaining energy access.
Restoring Water and Health
Access to clean water is a fundamental right. Through my intervention, I have been to facilitate and repaired over 20 boreholes were in rural communities, addressing water scarcity, improving sanitation, and restoring health and dignity to countless households.
Investment in Education
Understanding the importance of quality learning environments, I renovated and furnished a school within the constituency, transforming broken classrooms into spaces of learning with dignity, fostering academic excellence and inspiring hope in the hearts of young learners.
Empowering Dreams
During the last mega empowerment program, I provided tools and starter kits for over 250 young people who completed vocational and skills acquisition training programmes, giving them the confidence and equipment to begin a life of productivity and independence.
I’ve also empowered rural traders, artisans, and farmers with resources and support to grow their income, scale their efforts, and take charge of their future, strengthening small enterprises and helping families secure more stable sources of income.
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Bringing Banking to the Grassroots and Expanding Financial Access
Coming from a constituency where access to financial services was almost nonexistent and many had never interacted with a bank, I facilitated the opening of bank accounts for thousands of constituents. This intervention connected them to government initiatives, digital payments, and essential financial tools, enhancing economic inclusion and participation.
Menstrual Dignity for Girls
As a woman, I know the silent struggle many girls face. That’s why I took menstrual hygiene advocacy as a personal project, supporting thousands of schoolgirls with sanitary pads, education, and emotional support, so no girl has to skip school or feel ashamed because of her period.
Lawmaking with Impact
In the Assembly, I have sponsored key bills that speak directly to public accountability and social order. Some of the bills have made it to the floor of the house, while others are still under administrative processes. Few amongst them include:
Energy Bill – Empowering Kwara to drive its own energy development.
Unexplained Wealth Bill – Fighting corruption by demanding proactive transparency.
Religious Regulation Bill – Ensuring sanity, peace, and protection from abuse in religious spaces.
I also moved and supported critical motions, including a motion to strengthen punishment for ritual killings, following the heartbreaking murder of a young lady by a suspected ritualist, who is now being prosecuted. Justice must be swift, and laws must protect the innocent to deter evil.
I also sponsored a motion on the urgent need for censorship and safety regulations against content promoting consumption of illicit drugs/substances in new and social media as well as the broadcast media.
Another motion sponsored is on the Need to establish partnerships with hospitals on medical emergencies in hotels in Kwara State.
The Journey Continues
I am deeply grateful to my constituents, young and old, who placed their trust in me. Your stories, your strength, your struggles inspire me every day.
This journey is not about age or gender. It’s about impact. About making leadership count. About ensuring that even in the remotest parts of Kwara, people can feel government in their lives.
I remain committed to being your voice, your advocate, your sister, and your servant in this noble duty.
In all of this, I remain guided by a simple belief that leadership must mean something. It must be seen. It must be felt. It must improve lives.
As we begin another legislative year, the journey continues, and together, we will keep building a future that leaves no one behind.
Special thanks to His Excellency, the Kwara State Governor and Chairman of Nigeria’s Governors Forum, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, CON, for making all of this possible, for without him, none of this can be achieved.
I also thank the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Engr Yakubu Danladi Salihu for his purposeful leadership of this Assembly. I also appreciate other principal officers and Hon. Colleagues, the Clerk, the management and other staff of the Assembly for the support and encouragement that i have enjoyed over the past two years.
Hon. Rukayat Motunrayo Shittu
Member, Kwara State House of Assembly
Chairman House Committee on Youth, Sport, Information, Tourism.
Deputy Chairman, House Service
