Devt Strategies For A Prosperous Kwara South Outlined As KSDI Brings Stakeholders Together For Assessment Of Security, Economic Situations In The Region
Leaders from across the Kwara South Senatorial District gathered at the Fresh Hotel, Ilorin on Monday to discuss the current economic and security situations in the region, identify the challenges facing the senatorial district and outline strategies for economic revival, political development and the progress of Kwara South.
Assembling under the banner of the Kwara South Development Initiative (KSDI), the leaders including traditional rulers, technocrats and politicians emphasized the importance of unity, inclusive development strategy and the need for ‘unity of effort’ to address the challenges facing the senatorial district.
The event called ‘Strategic Consultation With Key Stakeholders In Kwara South’ was jointly compered by Oloriewe Raheem Adedoyin and Ayo Olupinla and it was attended by prominent indigenes of Kwara South including the State APC Chairman, Prince Sunday Fagbemi, Olupo of Ajase Ipo, Oba Ismail Yahaya Alebiosu, Olomu of Omu –Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Oladele Adeoti, Princess Olubukola Babalola , Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS), Government House, Ilorin, Chief Nurudeen Adeyemi Balogun, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), a member of Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon AGF Salahudeen, Prince Lekan Adewoye, Governor Abdulrazaq’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Rafiu Ajakaye, Commissioner for Information, Hon Bola Olukoju, retired General Lasisi Yemi Abidoye, who is the Esikin of Omu-,Aran , chairman , Ifelodun local government, Hon Femi Yusuf, Mr Oyin Zubair, Mr Tunde Bakare among others.
KSDI has as its motto ‘Transforming Lives, Fostering Unity And Driving Sustainable Development Of Kwara South’.
The Convener of KSDI, who is also the Founder of Thomas Adewunmi University, Oko, Dr. Johnson Adewunmi, started his opening speech on a note of clarification, submitting that the group is a non-political organization while also making it abundantly clear that he has no plans to seek any elective office.
He added that the event was organized with the sole aim of ‘reawakening our fire of patriotic zeal and redeem our community’.
‘I wish to make it clear from the onset that KSDI is not a political platform and I’m not seeking any elective or appointive political office. I am leading this crusade based solely on patriotic zeal and concerns about the welfare of our people’ he added.
Noting that charting a political direction that brings competence, inclusiveness, accountability and quality representation was part of the agenda, he also emphasized the need to unite and support candidates who can present ‘a credible, practical roadmap for reviving our community and ensuring security’.
Kwara South people should according to him choose the right leaders in 2027 and avoid selling their votes in order to have a justifiable reason to call those in positions of authority to account.
‘Kwara South must unite to select candidates with verifiable community record of performance. I respectfully urge our Royal Majesties not to accept money from anybody parading himself as candidates. I beg all the Stakeholders in audience and online as well. Our people in Kwara South are tired of promises; they want tangible results.
We must raise the stakes for existing and potential candidates in the next election. I am urging all of us as stakeholders to please wake up and look for credible men and women in our communities that we can send to Ilorin and Abuja as our true representatives. One of the current elected officials currently serving in Abuja told KSDI that no one in the community can hold him to account. He added that no one can control what he does because he used his money to get elected. Others behave in the same manner’ he lamented.
Listing the problems and challenges facing Kwara South to include endemic poverty, severe rural-urban migration (in some cases the demography is changing from Yoruba people to Fulani people and Hausa people with severe consequences), lack of opportunities for the youths, kidnappings , insecurity, deliberate abandonment by the elites, apathy or in most cases complete cessation of notable ideals of community development efforts, Dr. Johnson Adewunmi noted that the government cannot solve all the problems hence the decision taken by KSDI to ‘mobilize our collective efforts to find endurable solutions and reawaken the giants in us’.
He also submitted that the Governor Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq administration is ‘actively rebuilding our infrastructure by the large-scale reconstruction/rehabilitation of our roads, hospitals, and water supply facilities’.
On security, the governor, he noted has invested in the procurement of equipment to support local governments, while also deploying forest guards to forests in the region adding that what is missing is the failure of the stakeholders to ‘take responsibility and be actively involved in the welfare and future of our individual communities like our fathers and our predecessors had done successfully’.
While federal lawmakers from the Kwara South have according to him failed the people, Engineer Adewumi however urged all stakeholders to rise to the occasion and support efforts to tackle insecurity in the senatorial district.
‘Conversely, our elected representatives at the federal level have abandoned us to our fate. It is disappointing. We may not be able to change the attitude of these ‘honourable’ men but we can certainly change ourselves. I am making a clarion call to all of us as key stakeholders to get involved in securing our communities. We must take ownership and compliment government efforts. I know for a fact that all members of traditional councils have voluntarily compelled themselves to make monthly contributions to support the security architecture and our gallant local vigilantes in Kwara South’ he said.
The KSDI Convener also urged the Kwara South people not to become despondent expressing confidence that things will change for the better.
‘Even though some see doom looming in the horizon, I have a dream that better days are around the corner for Kwara South. We are the stakeholders in Kwara South, God will use our hands to rebuild the broken walls. We must not surrender and there should be no retreat’ he said.
Engineer Adewumi also said the region has a vast agricultural land, huge water resources potential, and solid minerals adding that there is a need to put the forest zone in Kwara South to good use as one of the practical ways of fighting insecurity.
‘We need to work together, in the communal spirit that propelled our parents to build roads with holes and cutlasses, We can form large form large Agricultural Joint Ventures and establish Agric businesses that will put more than 10,000 acres of land in Ifelodun to good use so that there will no longer be ungoverned criminal hideouts in Kwara South’ he said.
The Olupo of Ajase Ipo, Oba Ismail Yahaya Alebiosu, in his speech, also urged the people of Kwara South to choose right leaders in 2027 noting that they should get ready to take a ‘life decision’.
‘As the convener has rightly said, they will begin to come to all of us. Let’s be honest with ourselves, let us ask ourselves, have we gotten it right before now? 2027 is around the corner. Let us be fair to ourselves, let us be fair to our generations yet unborn and let us do away with blame here and there, let us concentrate more on how to move Kwara South forward’ he said.
The monarch , a lawyer, who urged unity among Kwara South people, said everyone should work towards restoring the region to its former standing.
He also submitted that the current federal lawmakers from Kwara South have performed woefully and failed to deliver ‘quality representation’.
‘What can we say we have gained from our federal lawmakers? They are mostly nowhere to be found. It is left to us to correct the situation, a person that has no integrity or credibility will only seek his own good, where are they today? It is not proper for anyone to claim that people that did not give him campaign money cannot dictate how he will spend his money. They will soon come again, I am not against you collecting their money, collect their money but vote against those kind of people, after all, it is your money’ Oba Alebiosu added.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq commended the KSDI for organizing the ‘stakeholder summit’ noting that Engineer Adewumi’s ‘resilience and commitment’ have been the ‘bedrock of our shared progress’, while praising his leadership role in shaping a vibrant Kwara South.
He restated the commitment of his administration to ‘equitable development’ across every part of Kwara State, including Kwara South while touching on infrastructure development efforts in the region.
‘We have prioritized infrastructure to unlock economic potential and improve lives. To date, we have completed at least 63 kilometers of roads in Kwara South alone, with an additional 109 kilometers either under construction or soon to be awarded.
These include critical routes like Ajase-Ipo to Okeya Ipo; Owode Ofaro to Alabe; Omu Aran to Oko; Palace Road in Ijagbo; Arandun Township Roundabout, Esie-Oro Township Road; Ijara Isin Sabaja Owa Onire (en route Owu Water Fall); Ibrahim Taiwo Popo General Hospital in Offa; Oke Iyapo to Oba Yero Village along Oke Ode; Ilemona Ojoku Road (to be awarded); Agbamu Ila Orangun Road; Offa Ojoku Afon Eiyenkorin; Orisa Bridge; and Osi Obo Aiyegunle Road, among others. These projects reflect our commitment to connecting communities, improving lives, and fostering growth.
Beyond roads, we have awarded contracts for the upgrade of Offa Stadium and Lafiagi Stadium to enhance sports and community engagement in the region. Additionally, we have completed and inaugurated the Osi Campus of Kwara State University, a milestone in advancing education and empowering our young people for the future’ he said.
The governor, who was represented by Princess Olubukola Babalola , Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS), also noted that security is everyone’s business while urging support for the security agencies.
‘Security is a collective responsibility, and your partnership and support for the security agencies is vital in this monumental task. I urge vigilance at all times as our enemies have informants and enablers within us. Let us work together to unmask them and keep our communities completely safe and enabling for growth.
At this point, I wholeheartedly acknowledge the community-driven initiatives and the sacrifices of everyone in this regard, including the council chairmen, traditional rulers, thought leaders, and our brave vigilantes. Our words are with the families of our heroes who died protecting us.
Together, we can reawaken the giants of Kwara South, ensuring prosperity and security for all. Let us unite in this noble pursuit, working hand in hand to build a stronger, brighter Kwara’ he added.
Retired General Lasisi Yemi Abidoye, who also spoke in the same vein, noted that matters that have to do with security are sensitive and require a careful approach-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079, 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
