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Permit me to start this piece with an inspirational stanza of a poem that will amaze you about our history.
We are sons and daughters of Okun Land, Children of valiant and courageous men and women
Conquerors of rocks, mountains, and high places, Who subdued the valleys and tamed wild beasts…..
This above masterpiece is meant to reiterate and wake our collective consciousness as a people with enormous values and unflinching courage to our historical strength, a generation which evolved from the loins of hard working and courageous ancestors, who out of sheer bravery, courage and industry chose to inhabit the rocky terrains of Okunland, rather than the lowland of other areas. It is a reminder of who we are and what the Okun Nation represents.
We don’t just have a rich history but also a great culture, an uncommon heritage, a past that should be the envy of our neighbours, and a future that we should stand for with every drop of our blood.
Talking about our History and Heritage to engage you in a comparative analysis of our history described above with the present state of affairs of Okunland, I am certain and sure we would be saddened. Our communities are now ravaged, pillaged, plundered, looted and despoiled by hunger, poverty, joblessness, idleness and decayed infrastructure without any development. More Saddening, worrisome and perturbing is the perceived complacence of our people who have adjusted to the poor state of affairs and largely feel comfortable in this pitiable state, all we have to do is to rise up and that time is NOW.
I ASK AGAIN?
What may have befallen the OKUN nation?
How did a people with such rich history and culture, children of valor become hewers of wood for other people?
How did a nation that once produced oil moguls, business men and women, intellectuals, best scientists, researchers etc are getting it wrong now?
What is happening to our politicians and leaders at various level today?
Our billionaire nko, what happen to the Okun nation that was the center of commerce become disconnected from socio-economic activities and political failure?
For how long can we remain or stay in this stage of poverty?
Are we still in unity and love with ourselves?
Are we still in peace with ourselves?
What and where did we all get it wrong?
What can we as sons and daughters of Okun do to regain the lost glory of our land?
How long can we continue to wait for government for rescue whilst our youths mortgage their destinies for morsels and bit of porridge?
As a student of political science with love for research, I believe Nations or states grow not according to the dictates and prescribe of Government, but by the dictates and order of its people. Okun has regressed considerably because we (the sons and daughters of Okun) abdicated our responsibility to champion the development of Okun communities to Government or to our Politicians. Its sad that Okun is the only part of the entire Kogi State without a single homegrown medium scale job creating enterprise, cottage industries or privately owned tertiary Institutions? Why are sons and daughters of Okun not investing in Okunland. WHY?
I believe that the story of Okun Nation must change and that time for that change is now. Though we dwell in a period of economic challenges and difficulties, but we can draw inspiration from the achievements of our fore fathers, and use the inspiration as catalyst for socio economic renaissance and development of our communities. We must energize all sons and daughters of Okun at home and in diaspora, to join in the development of the Okun nation through investments in economic activities and social enterprise. Let all sons and daughters of Okun resolve henceforth to take the development of Okun as a self-project, and like a communal project, one stone here, another shovel there, this will go a long way towards building the Okun of our dream.
Let all sons and daughters of Okun who attain higher positions of prominence either elected or appointed to use the goodwill of Okun as pedestal know that they are representing the collective interests of Okun people and as such are expected to use such positions to promote the development of Okun rather than their personal interest. Let us set a foundation today so that in a few years Okun will begin to produce homegrown millionaires, and Okun sons and daughters would be counted among the dollar rich billionaires of Nigeria.
THE WAY FORWARD:
As Okun lies in regression and fixation, I’m urging all of us to appreciate and put effort for the need of a sense of urgency to arrest the regression of our communities and the degradation of our heritage. Let all sons and daughters of Okun come together in unity and peace to fashion a blueprint for the development of OkunLand. Let every community evolve similar blue prints that would enable them key into the new developmental trajectory.
AREAS OF SUGGESTIONS
1. There’s need for us to build an Economy within ourselves in Okunland; In what crops do we have comparative advantage? Cassava, maize, yam, cashew, palm oil, plantain etc? We can even learn from nearest state where some communities signed multi million dollars contracts even with the rice milling companies for the production of rice. Let us invest massively in farming, and encourage our youths to form cooperatives so that they can access agricultural input and support grants from Governments at the State and Federal levels, like I always say the youth need to be empowered physical, financially and otherwise.
2. We must also promote our culture and heritage to build a tourism economy around our communities: The last year December Obangogo mountain climbing in Kabba and Ogidi Cultural Day last month etc. Our rich culture, the topography, the rocks and the natural beauty of Okun could be harnessed to turn Okun land into a tourist destination. Investors from other land will not just invest in Okun unless the sons and daughters take the lead and participate.
3. Mapping out our natural and God’s giving resources: in what natural resources do we have? i.e Tantalite etc. Let us map these resources with a view to collaborating with government for their sustainable exploitation.
4. On Education: This is the most important aspect for us to look in and must improve the quality of education in Okun through self-help. It is not enough for our children to attend schools, we must make sure that they obtain requisite skills that would turn them to entrepreneurs and inventors or to make them employable wherever they found themselves. I heard 60% of our academia and professors from Okunland are above 60 years, there’s need for them to groom and also mentor the coming generation.
5. We must also continue to educate our girl-child properly to cut down on the percentage of teenage pregnancies among our girls/ladies and tell them to zip up.
6. Natural abilities and Talents Promotion in entertainment (music, sport, theatre, visual arts and craft) amongst others must also be encouraged especially with the youth.
7. Increasing political education and enhancing the voting strength of Okun to regain political relevance. Our people must be encouraged to come out and register for the ongoing INEC voters card and know their right even as a citizen.
8. The Okun Students Union body and Youths Organisations should also stop parading the doors to our politicians and fighting for them on social media even though most of them are now due for replacement. The unionist should stay neutral and be focus to her duties not to be monetised by the said politician. We must also hold them responsible for the underdevelopment of Okunland rather than celebrating their failures.
9. A town hall meeting at least ones in a year where all Okun Sons and Daughters to discuss critical issue and development, not only political discussion. The elders, youths, farmers, traders etc needed to be carried along not only our elite or the money bags class, because most of them don’t even live in Okunland anymore.
NOTE:
We should know that the Nigeria economic as downturn, governmental and states spending on infrastructure and development will be limited to those that offer economic value. It’s time to create and think economic value in our land, government and state will partner with us because our prosperity would provide an opportunity for government to earn revenue and growths. We must have it in mind that the era of government charities and donations are now behind us. Therefore when we have done our preparation or homework diligently, we can engage Government to support our development blue print with the following:-
* Provision of first class infrastructure like roads, schools, electricity and robust IT centres to support our self driven economic development.
* Provision of adequate security to safeguard the lives and properties of those who live, visit and do business in Okun Land.
* Enhancing the ease of doing business by streamlining regulations affecting trading in cassava, yam, maize cashew and other agricultural produce.
* Provision of adequate education infrastructure and training of teachers to support our quest for quality and functional education.
* Introduction of tax incentives to encourage businesses that intend to invest in the hinterland of Okun Land especially our youth.
I, AJAGUN SAMUEL OPEYEMI come to you today with a plea that we should not slumber while Okun communities lie in ruins. God has in His infinite mercies placed me and you in Okun to serve a purpose. Let us set aside whatever differences we might have or whatever animosities we might harbor against each other, to collaborate as one indivisible unit to lift up the Okun nation.
We can no longer afford to act like a people without history. We are who we are. It is time we roused the lion in our genes.
It’s time to claim what belongs to us, it’s time we show the world who we are.
God bless Okunland.
God bless Kogi State
God bless Nigeria.
Okun agbe gbogbo wa o. Amin
– Comrade Ajagun Samuel Opeyemi a.k.a Okun Boy
08139299118, opeyemisamuell@yahoo.com
#ProudSonOfOkunNation.
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