As the June 11 2024, Las Vegas mayoral election gathers momentum, among the fifteen candidates that will be contesting in the election is a Nigerian-born American businessman and a Man of God, Kolawole Akingbade.
Akingbade is no doubt one of the noted of all the candidates that will be participating in the election.
While the incumbent independent mayor, Carolyn Goodman will not be seeking re-election as she has used fourth term in office, Kolawole Akingbade looks good to succeed her and take Las Vegas to the next level.
As the best man for the job, Kolawole is a smart innovative thinker who has a love for family, people, community, and God.
He is forthright, dependable, and known for his exceptional honesty, integrity, and tenacity in not just one area of his life, but all these qualities are a tightly woven strand that run through every station in his life.
Kolawole was born in Lagos, Nigeria to a wealthy father, who sent to the United States to attend a college.
He chose the Miami-Dade Community College and later transferred to Northeastern University, and excelled in his studies to become an engineer.
After college, he moved to Los Angeles, California, got married and fathered four accomplished children who have remained in Los Angeles.
Kola Akingbade and his father’s plan for his future as an engineer were however derailed when Kola received a higher calling from his Heavenly Father to become a Minister. He founded Kola World Ministries, a Los Angeles Calvary Church, and taught a daily bible study on radio station KTYM, 1460 AM.
At the same time, he started his own maintenance company employing about 15 people.
It was during this time that he was introduced to the world of real estate. He started in sales, became a mortgage loan officer, and was extremely successful. Kola had wanted to move to Las Vegas for years; finally, he made the move in 2010, got a home in Las Vegas, and worked for Berkshire Hathaway as a salesperson. It was through this brokerage that he was encouraged to become a real estate broker, and so he did.
However, life and family called him back to Los Angeles, and he worked as a successful salesperson, and then a loan officer.
In 2019, Kola moved to Nigeria, after so many of his friends in the Nigerian political arena literally begged him to come back and run for President of his native country.
They felt that with him as President, the country could move forward. So, with the campaign slogan, “Way Forward Nigeria” he ran a masterful campaign, winning the popular vote, but became a victim of sitting council over-ruling. In 2020, Kola Akingbade returned to the United States and to his successful real estate business.
He and wife, Susan Price Akingbade decided to make Las Vegas their home.
Susan too, was in real estate, and an educator of 35 years, leaving the Los Angeles Unified School District as Director of High Schools. At the present time, Kola is in vacation real estate sales at The Westgate Hotel, and would love to serve as the next Mayor of Las Vegas.
While speaking about his ambition to become a Mayor of Las Vegas, Kola said the followings:
‘It’s normal and customary for certain aspects of our economy to become more lucrative at certain times, while some take a downturn. This downturn or slowdown is called their OFFSEASON. This is expected, and plans are made to get through this OFFSEASON without going under, without catastrophic loss, and with a quick recovery. However, the OFFSEASON in Las Vegas is EXTREME and has a devastating effect on our #1 industry, TOURISM.”
“Yearly, Las Vegas experiences an OFFSEASON.”
‘In the middle of summer, while the world’s tourism is at its peak, Las Vegas, the world’s TOP tourist destination, and the number one entertainment capital of the world is experiencing an OFFSEASON, possibly because of the extreme heat; nevertheless, we know from June- August, and from November through February, we will experience another OFFSEASON. Whenever inflation strikes, during and AFTER any world financial or economic meltdown, during and AFTER a pandemic, the Las Vegas economy ALWAYS experiences more suffering than most other cities in the nation. Usually, this affects our middle and lower class”
”Las Vegas economy has become almost seasonal and unpredictable.”
“This is unacceptable. We must know what tomorrow brings in terms of our economic stability. We must be able to calculate how much wealth our city and our businesses will consistently generate in all 52 weeks, and all 12 months of the year.”
“We Must Offset the OFFSEASON.”
To OFFSET the OFFSEASON in Las Vegas will take a massive economic re-birth!
“Our sole dominant industry is GAMING, and we’re King of the gaming industry; but doesn’t our entertainment industry play a large part in supporting gaming? Certainly, it does. However, let’s look at Movies / Television / Music: Mark Wahlberg.”
“Currently in Las Vegas, we RENT Stars, we don’t MAKE Stars. To correct this, we will work with Mark Wahlberg and other credible entertainment industry professionals and bring in Hollywood caliber Movie, Television and Music recording studios!!
‘Just imagine Hollywood bigger and brighter in Vegas and all that money that will be generated.
We could start by bringing the following:
Theme Park/Water Park: Six Flags Magic Mountain, Disney Vegas will definitely compete with Orlando and Los Angeles. Make the theme park areas a non-gambling area. Typically, when families with young children visit our city, they leave their children at home because Las Vegas is not kids ready, and not kid-friendly. These families usually take a separate vacation with their kids, going to Disney World, Bush Garden in Orlando, Disney Land, Knots Berry Farm, and even Six Flags Magic Mountain in Los Angeles.
“Diversified Economy will bring endless revenue to the City of Las Vegas. It will strengthen the cash flow and finances of the elite, the casinos, and the employers. The middle class will get real fat and the working class, the little people and their families will get a fresh start at life being given great opportunities to build legacies. Prosperity will find those who wants to work hard. All this will maker Las Vegas stronger; we will be known as a land of opportunity, a land that flows with milk and honey, yes, in this desert we will hold our undeniable position as the entertainment capital of the world.”
On Education In Las Vegas
“Clark County School District serves approximately 300,000 students, K-12, and ranks 49th out of 50, second lowest only to Hawaii Metropolitan School District. Among national test score results, Clark County School District (CCSD) ranks 39% proficient in reading, and a dismal 21% proficient in math!
With a graduation rate of 83%, which is about average when considering all public schools in the country, the low scores and high graduation rate begs the question, why is there such a disparity? Are the standards for our student low, so that they meet the graduation requirements?
“Are the graduation requirements low so that a high percentage of students actually receive high school diplomas?
At the present time, an interim Superintendent is at the helm of the District, following the ousting of the former Superintendent.
A search for a new top educator MUST have, as the number one criterion:
“Previous experience as a superintendent of a failing school district, whose plans and programs turned the District around. This forward-thinking superintendent will have to understand that teacher salaries are tied to teacher performance. Teacher/student ratios are important. Even in the smallest school districts, it has been proved the large class sizes net poor results.”
“As Mayor, I will be hands-on when it comes to the education of our students. There is nothing inferior about them, and they deserve the best education possible. Let’s get out of the basement and prepare students who can compete with any student in the country.”
On Safety & Security
“Power of the people, by the people, and for the people. First, the ultimate power rests with the citizens of Las Vegas; they have all the Power. All the elected representatives, including the Mayor of Las Vegas, only have the power, the authority, and the responsibility that has been entrusted and delegated to their offices and their positions by the people.”
“The police are sworn to serve and protect.
“As law enforcement officers, their fundamental duty is to serve the community, to safeguard lives and property, to protect innocence against deception, the weak against oppression, and the peaceful against violence, and to respect the constitutional rights of all to liberty, equality, and justice.”
“The Las Vegas Police, Sheriff, and Courts exist to serve the people of Las Vegas and enforce the laws, protect public order, prevent crimes, provide emergency response, and protect the possessions of citizens in our community. The job they do deserves a higher salary.
“Our police department is among the nation’s best. Our officers have families of their own and after a hard workday at the office, they’re expected to return home to their beautiful families in one piece.
As Mayor, the police department will be properly funded. We will support the department, and respect and protect our officers. Also, we will institute additional professional development in the areas that are needed, such as our changing demographics and De-escalation protocol.
”Second, all the elected officials, and the law enforcement agencies SERVE the people while the PEOPLE retain the supreme power. The people elect and pay all salaries. The citizens of Las Vegas, including all the minorities, all the special interest groups, the disabled, the poor, the rich, the homeless, and the mentally challenged, will not be mistreated, disrespected or discriminated against by police officers.
“As Mayor, I will implement a zero tolerance towards police harassment, brutality and abuse. We will weed out all bad apples, retrain and provide counseling to those who need it, and any repeated abusers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Both the Las Vegas police and the public will be held accountable for their actions.
“The Homeless In Las Vegas has shown a rise in 2022-23. The last count shows over 6,500 homeless individuals in our city: specifically Southern Las Vegas. These numbers, of course, include babies and children.
“When we look at the causes of homelessness, there are so many different reasons; this is the main cause that there is no one way to abate or end the problem. Within this growing population in our city, people move their families here believing they can find work, but unfortunately, they can’t, and find themselves in hopeless situations. Some never recovered after Covid. Then again, we must recognize that some of our homeless suffer from mental illnesses.
“Much is being done to address the homeless problem, but I suggest to you a task force that can identify individual problems and apply targeted assistance to this population. If a man is not suffering from a loss of blood, a blood transfusion is not needed. It might even kill him! So, these task forces would be regional, and comprised of our social service teams, veterans, and others who are willing to partner with us, working with individuals and families to find the reason and solution for each, then connecting them with the services they need. We will also work to build permanent shelters, and continue partnerships with landlords to house people with at least some income but not able to pay full rent.”
“It would be advantageous to study remedies implemented by other cities that have been successful, and adopt their best practices, and put them in place where appropriate.
“We will enforce the no-loitering laws on the strip and around our Freemont Area. We give the unsheltered their choice of destination or deliver them to a shelter.”
”We need more Funding to alleviate that which has now become a big problem in the Silver City.”
Veterans Care
Respect for our Veterans
Las Vegas is a HUGE military town.
“Our society MUST give Veterans an opportunity to tell their stories. We MUST respect veteran’s service to our country and to us, their unique feelings, their individual concerns, and any suggestions they might offer. Our ATTITUDE towards them should be that of Gratitude. Thank you for your service.
“The men and women in uniform sacrificed their lives, their families, their health, their own individuality, their peace and joy, and their own freedom, so we all might have peace and joy and freedom in our own lives and in their beloved country.
“Very often, after they completed their tour of duties, or after retirements, or after sustaining serious injuries both physically, emotionally or mentally, they returned home to cruelty, abuses and disappointment and an unwelcoming community. No one wants them as neighbors, and they struggle to secure an employment even for positions they’re already qualified for.
“They come back home to prejudice, to a society that arguably sees them as a ‘nut cases’ crazy, and unstable. But they have seen crazy things, and witnessed things that the human eye was not created to witness. They’ve witnessed and experienced devastation and multination of human bodies. They’ve seen too many deaths. They’ve seen their best friends, their brothers and compatriots blown into pieces by bomb blasts.
“Imagine, after all that, those Veterans who survived this trauma and escaped death, and loss of their families, they come back home to their country, and their own people rejected them; and to a society that is afraid of them and are prejudice towards them. Folks say Veterans cannot be trusted, they’re crazy, they’re shell shocked, and they’ve lost their humanity.
“Still, some Veterans excelled; some rose to the highest height of excellence, some become law makers, Senators, and Governors. Some becomes advocates and advisors to fellow veterans; some become very successful businesspersons, and some rise to the highest office of even becoming advisors to our President’s most Trusted Cabinet Secretaries.
“Unfortunately, some Veterans are just not as fortunate, unable to reintegrate back into society. The Scars of Battlefields are REAL, and the impact of those scars are long-lasting in the lives of those who carry and live with those scars, as do their families, even among the most fortunate Veterans.
PTSD is a real thing.
”To cope with this painful life-changing scenario, especially when they’re not being welcomed and respected in their own community, some Veterans turn to alcohol, drugs, and other mind-altering substances, and some minds got altered resulting in increased Mental Illness cases among our Veterans.
“As Mayor, I will respect you, and treat you as my own family and friends. I will honor your sacrifices, and I PROMISE to make the resources of this City available to you and help you in the best ways possible. I’m not a Veteran, so I don’t know what Veterans are feeling or what their immediate and lasting needs are, so I will seek the advice of credible Veterans to help us shape our policies and execute our LOVE plan for Veterans.
I call our Veterans our Heroes. They’re the Bravest among us, so from the bottom of my heart, I want to Thank you for your Service and Bravery.
God Bless our Veterans, God Bless Las Vegas