Describe council chairman’s intervention as evidence of responsive leadership

Burutu, Delta State — September 8, 2026

By staff reporter Rukevwe Odeh

The Burutu Local Government Communities Youth Presidents Forum has commended the Executive Chairman of Burutu Local Government Area, Hon. Chief Dr. Julius Takeme, for his swift intervention during a recent protest at the council headquarters.

The commendation was made on Monday, September 7, when members of the newly elected executive of the forum, led by its President-General, Tamaraudenyefa Mutu, paid a courtesy visit to the council chairman at his residence.

Speaking during the meeting, Mutu said the forum was particularly impressed by Takeme’s decision to personally engage the protesters shortly after receiving information about the demonstration.

He noted that in some communities, protests could persist for days without any meaningful response from authorities. He therefore described the chairman’s decision to interrupt his official engagement and meet directly with the protesters as a demonstration of responsive and people-oriented leadership.

According to him, the action showed that the council chairman was prepared to listen to residents and address issues affecting the people.

The visit also provided an opportunity for the forum to formally present its newly elected executives to the chairman and highlight some of the challenges confronting young people across communities in the local government.

The youth leaders acknowledged the administration’s efforts to engage young people and cited the sponsorship of Timipamo-ere Akiayefa from Torugbene to Singapore in August 2025 to compete in a swimming event as one of the interventions.

Akiayefa subsequently won a gold medal for Nigeria at the competition, an achievement the forum said demonstrated the potential of young people in the area when given the necessary support.

The forum appealed to the council chairman to sustain and expand youth-oriented empowerment initiatives, particularly programmes that could provide opportunities for young people to develop their skills and represent the local government and Nigeria in national and international competitions.

Responding, Takeme expressed appreciation to the youth leaders for the visit and assured them that his administration would continue to maintain an open-door policy for individuals, groups and communities across Burutu Local Government Area.

The chairman said his administration had undertaken several empowerment and humanitarian initiatives across the local government, adding that many of the interventions had received little or no publicity.

He further disclosed that arrangements had been concluded for another major empowerment programme, assuring the youth leaders that details would be made public in due course.

Takeme reiterated his administration’s commitment to supporting vulnerable residents, empowering young people and implementing programmes aimed at improving the welfare of communities across the local government.