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Owe people are yoruba descendants in Kogi state. According to the census last conducted by National Population Commission (NPC) in 2006, Owe peope were reported to be about 9% of the Kogi state population.
Kabba was the administrative headquarters of the Kabba province of the defunct Northern Region of Nigeria, which includes all of the current Kogi State. Kabba is a trade centre for coffee, cocoa, yams, cassava, maize, sorghum, shea nuts, peanuts (groundnuts), beans, cotton, and woven cloth produced by the Yoruba, Ebira, and other people of the
surrounding area.
Kabba people speak the dialect called Owe. They all speak Yoruba, as the languages have vowels in common. Kabba is the headquarters of the Kabba/Bunnu local government area of Kogi state, but it is sad to note that with this intimidating pioneering antiquity, Oweland is yet to regain its pride of place in the socio-economic and political equation of this nation.
Owe kingdom is composed intrinsically of kingship and brotherhood. The Owes are driven with the passion to excel in all endeavors. Oweland is richly blessed with abundant human and natural resources including vast fertile soil and pleasant climate suitable for agriculture. Thus, it has the potential to build a prosperous economy if well harnessed
and utilized; these endowments are capable of transforming the economy in no distant future.
Tourism, one of the earliest industries known to man, essentially involves travelling from one place of interest to another, either for sight-seeing, leisure, adventure, picnic, relaxation/recreation, holidays, business or just for peace and quietness. Oweland is blessed with different types of tourism like cultural tourism and man-made or artificial
tourism. Essentially, the prospect of the famous Obangogo hill to Oweland cannot be overemphasized, this unique and historic mountain served as abode for refuge during invasion to the host and neighboring communities some 100 years ago.
The historic facts on the hill include the story of Elegha, the Ako kereje, Kereje. It is also characterised with some uncommon features like; Boulders, Stone-talking drum, Cave, The coffin that turned to stone, Stone- plates, There is a notable spring of water on the hill that never dries the year round. It served as the main source of water for the people during the invasion of Nupe warriors many years ago. There is also the mystical lake called ‘ako’. There are five(5) of them and they never run dry despite its stagnation.
Obangogo hill has high potentials, prospects and brighter futures to assist Kogi as a state in its socio-economic development of today and tomorrow. What is however required is for all parties in tourism business and promotion to play their significant roles, the constraints not withstanding, so that our own pride (Obangogo hill) can compete favourable when compared with the Erin–Ijesha Water falls in Osun State, Yankari games reserves in Bauchi, Obudu cattle ranch, Ranch resort, Tinapa, Oban hills in Cross-Rivers, Olumo rock in Ogun, Idanre hills in Ondo and Ikogosi warm and cold spring in Ekiti state and also serve as a source of viable internally generated revenue.
No society ever achieved economic turn-around or prosperity without a credible, committed, visionary, focused and inspired leadership hence credible, committed and inspired political leadership is a sine qua non to economic growth and development and no doubt Oweland enjoys quality representation at all political levels, worthy of mention include member house of representatives representing Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency our own pragmatic Hon. T.J Yusuf (Chairman, House committee on Capital Market and Institutions) and ever capacious Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Prince Kolawole Matthew; these two are in no small measure making immeasurable and prudent contributions towards the development of Oweland.
With a sense of duty we should embrace the passion to ascend our fatherland to the pinnacle of matchless prosperity. The right step to unseat the despondency that thrives in our land begins with you. It is very apparent that Owe people are analogous to Intellectualism, leadership prowess and developmental sagacity. This is exemplified in
the Joy that enraptures my heart, taking cognizance of worthy Owe sons and daughters doing us proud worthy like Cardinal John Onaiyekan (Archbishop of Abuja), Prof Matthew Ajibero (Former Rector, Kogi State Polytechnic), Mr Clement Oladele (Ogun State Sector Commander; Federal Road Safety Corps) and Mr. E.D Obafemi (Registrar,
University of Ilorin) and other great patriots and nationalists of note both locally and internationally too numerous to mention due to space constraints, all accomplished in their choosing fields of endeavors as well as contributed positively towards shaping Owe’s history in one way or the other.
We should see the placement of Owe people in top positions as first an act of God and for the benefit of uplifting those coming behind and the benefit of our land as a whole. The ship of Oweland must be paddled to the promise land because we have enough sailors and Captains, a rightful repositioning is apparently overdue hence Kabba Day is less about merrymaking and more about the mind, heart and divinity of a people bonded by unique culture and history.
ARISE! OWE COMPATRIOTS, the development of Oweland is in your hand.
– Balogun Emmanuel Funsho,
Kabba, Kogi State.
07034444976
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