A Nigerian veteran movie actor, Mr. Solomon Akiyesi has lauded the former governorship candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kogi State, Barr. Natasha Hadiza Akpoti for rehabilitating the failed portion of the Kogi-Edo highway which stretches through Lampese-Ibillo in Akoko-Edo local government area of Edo State.
Mr. Akiyesi who visited Natasha Akpoti in Abuja on Sunday December 19, commended the level of sacrifice she has put into the rehabilitation of the road where the former was once robbed and got bullet shot in his arm.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Akiyesi who is from Ososo community in Akoko-Edo, said “a couple of weeks back, I saw on social media how her excellency had sacrificed her resources, her time, and energy to reconstruct the road leading to my village and I had goose bumps all over my body because in 2013, on that same spot, there was an attempted kidnap on me and I was shot. If you see the way I am standing, I am standing stylishly because I am still carrying that bullet.”
Narrating his curiosity to meet the Kogi-born philanthropist, Akiyesi said “that her excellency willingly constructed that road, not in a political year, not because she is looking for attention, not because she is looking for votes. Even if she was, that’s not her state. For that type of selflessness, I started looking for a way of reaching her excellency.”
“I decided to mop my team together to come and show appreciation much we can. We brought this kola nut from his Royal Highness, the Olososo of Ososo, as appreciation from deep inside his heart with love.”
The movie star further promised his support for Akpoti.
“I know you didn’t just wake up to where you are, you walked through. And you are not going to wake up to who you want to be. You will also walk through. As you walk through where you want to get to, I offer myself and my services to you.”
In her remark, Akpoti thanked Akiyesi and his team for appreciating her gesture and coming all the way “thank you so much Mr. Solomon for flying all the way from Lagos with your teammates. We do appreciate you”.
Akpoti equally used the opportunity to explain her decision to fix that particular section of the road.
“One question I have always heard people ask is why did we embark on the reconstruction of that portion of the road? It all started with when we were moving our construction equipment from one location to another and our vehicle got stocked there for four days. And we asked how can the drivers said they were in one spot for four days? We asked for videos and truly we saw hundreds of vehicles, falling containers, falling trucks. And we also got to know about stealing, robbery and kidnappings were taking place there and how the communities were cut out from one enterprise production to the other. We began to pull resources together to fix the road.”
Earlier before the meeting, Mr. Akiyesi had written a commendation message through a friend to Akpoti where he shared his sad expirience on that road and requested a meeting with the philanthropist.
Solomon Akiyesi is a Nigerian Actor, Director and Content Producer. He is the President of the National Association of Ososo Creatives, the umbrella body of all the artistes from the zone. He is the founder of The Solomon Akiyesi Social Intervention Community, an amalgamation of like minds fighting for better humanity and also a member of the Board of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria.
