YEWALAND AND THE NEED FOR A NEW STRATEGY ON RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN OGUN STATE As executive member for Yewa Descendants Union UK & Ireland, it is a pleasure and an honour for me to be part of the historic Yewa Day 2013 celebration held here in London over a week ago. I hope that this maiden event – 2013 will bring hope, understanding and unity to the various Yewa communities both in Nigeria and in Diaspora as a whole. In attendance were the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun FCA, the speaker – Ogun State House of Assembly, the State Commissioners and other government dignitaries, about twenty five (25) Kabiyesis from Yewaland led by HRM Oba Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle MFR – the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, Federal representatives from Ogun West, all Yewa Local Government Chairmen led by Hon. Shafiu Abiodun Odebiyi, Mrs. Iyabo Anisulowo, our guest speaker of day Mayor Rotimi Adebari from Ireland, and many business people from Yewaland. The much publicised and well attended Yewa Day – 2013 was celebrated with both positive and negative aspects of its presentation, which will be part of our post mortem deliberations in future meetings. I want to thank all those who have worked so hard to put this event together and those that attended, and to wish everyone many more Yewa Day celebrations with clear purpose. The guest speaker of the day Mayor Rotimi Adebari from Ireland - an indigene of Yewaland spoke at length, advising the government on ways to improve the lives of our people. One thing stands clear at the event, is that true change takes people not just politicians, and that there is need for a new strategy on rural development in Ogun state in order to kick start lasting economic growth, promote development of our rural areas and empowers various communities in the state. With over 60% of the Ogun State population living in rural areas which cover 90% of the state, rural development must be an important policy area. Farming and forestry remain crucial for land use and the management of our natural resources in Ogun rural areas, and a platform for economic diversification in our rural communities. A new vibrant and dynamic rural development policy remains the only strengthening power for us not only to stem the flow of people to towns and capital but also to create rural development for our teeming army of graduates in the state. WHY HAVE A RURAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY? The previous governments has not provided the state with an active rural development policy, and creating one now by this administration will help us to achieve valuable goals for our countryside, depoliticise farm areas – most especially in Yewaland, and allow people who live and work there to have benefits of democracy. Ogun state rural areas are a vital part of its physical make-up and its identity. Governor Ibikunle Amosun emphasised clearly in his speech at event when he said that Yewaland could become ‘the food basket’ of Ogun state. Yes, Ogun state countryside – Yewaland has a great deal to offer. According to a standard definition, more than 90% of the territory of Ogun state is “rural”, and this area is home to more than 60% of the Ogun state population. Furthermore, the Ogun state’s fantastic range of striking and beautiful landscapes is among the things that give it its character – from mountains to steppe, from great forests to rolling fields. All of our rural areas face significant challenges. All of our farming and forestry business still need to build their competitiveness . All generally, average income per head is lower in rural regions than in our towns and cities, while the skills base is narrower and the service sector is less developed. The land gives us essential raw materials. Its value as a place of beauty, rest and recreation – when we look after it – is self evident. It acts, as our lungs, and is therefore a battleground for the fight against development and against climate change. Many people will only be attracted by the idea of living or working on the land, provided that they have access to adequate services and infrastructure. This means that the Ogun state strategy for sustainable rural development must begin with strategy for jobs and growth, just as relevant to our towns and cities. This proposed rural development policy is all about meeting the challenges faced by our rural areas, and unlocking their potential. Rural areas of our state need to develop at uniform pace to towns and cities in order to prevent migration from farms and villages in search of work and food leaving waste lands in villages and over population in cities and towns. Environmental sustainability has also become very important and an international concern. The Rural policy has links to a number of other policies. Therefore, the structure of this policy should focus on three themes, also known as thematic axes. 1. Improving the quality of life in rural areas and encouraging diversification of the rural economy 2. Improving the competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sector 3. Improving the environment and the countryside To help ensure a balanced approach to policy, the government is obliged to spread the rural development funding or budget between all three of these thematic axes. A further requirement is that some of the money must support projects based. This must involve highly individual projects designed and executed by local partnerships to address specific local problems. Every local government in Ogun state must set out a natural development programme, which specifies what money will be spent on which measures in the budgeting period. Greater emphasis should also be placed on coherent strategy for rural development across the state. Finally, I do not believe that the solution to our problem in Yewaland is simply to elect a Yewa indigene as governor come 2015. The important thing is to establish a political climate of opinion which will make it politically profitable for the wrong people to do the right thing for Yewaland. God bless our diverse Yewa communities.
Posted on: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 17:43:23 +0000
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