Leaders, eminent monarchs and critical stakeholders in Kwara South Senatorial District have identified the deliberate promotion of equity and fairness by all levels of government as crucial components of strategies for the development of the region.
They also called on sons and daughters of Kwara South to continue to cooperate with and fully support Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq over the next four years because he is committed and ready to work for the achievement of real progress.
These were parts of decisions reached at the maiden Kwara South Leaders’ Retreat held inside the Main Auditorium of Thomas Adewumi Universty, Oko-Irese in Irepodun Local Government Area of the State on Saturday, May 13, 2023.
Organised by the Kwara South Development Initiative (KSDI), a non-government organization, the Retreat is a periodic event through which members seek to drive the attainment of crucial goals that will enhance Kwara South’s prospects for development.
The Deputy Governor of Kwara State, Mr. Kayode Alabi who was in attendance in dual capacities as representative of Governor AbdulRazaq and as a son of Kwara South, emphasized the need for unity and desire to build a strong hierarchy of leadership that will take care of Kwara South’s interests.
“To achieve our goals of creating a prosperous Kwara South, we need a leader that would be providing directions as nothing meaningful can be achieved without a clear-cut leader as a group of people.
“We must believe in ourselves, we must believe in our culture and we must realise the need to build a hierarchy of leaders who will take care of the interests of Kwara South.
“To achieve meaningful development, we must work to improve our influence in terms of political power; we must be the ones to choose our leaders by ourselves.
“We need to come together and work together instead of everybody seeing themselves as the leader. No. We must have a credible leader who will truly speak for us and represent us properly,” the Deputy Governor said.
According to him, “Nobody will fight for us, we have to do it by ourselves. It’s normal to have political differences but passion for development must bring us together.
“It must be clear to us that without unity and credible rallying point, real development will remain a mirage for Kwara South,” he added.
Earlier in his welcome address, the convener of KSDI, Dr. Johnson Adewumi, expressed pleasure over the interest and commitment to the Initiative by Governor AbdulRazaq, monarchs, leaders and other stakeholders.
He informed that the Governor had expressed interest in ensuring that the initiative is replicated in other Senatorial Districts of the State.
Adewumi assured that the KSDI will provide a sustainable platform for harnessing the potentials of Kwara South through seminars, conferences, retreats and other means for discussing and collating development possibilities for the region.
He however expressed dissatisfaction with the attitude of political office holders from Kwara South, saying “an initiative like this ought to attract full interest and participation of all especially our political class.”
He decried the negative attitude of elected political office holders from Kwara South towards matters affecting the interests of the region.
“It’s a pity that the senator and the other two National Assembly Members representing us are not here, but, those close to them must tell them that, it’s no longer business as usual. We now have a team that will be assessing their performance periodically.
“I’m very disappointed with their absence, this is about people, they should be ready to take leadership, or resign if they are not ready for the development and unity of Kwara South.
“Our public office holders must be reminded that they have accepted the offer to lead, and it comes with responsibilities, and as elected officials, they are to serve the people, not rule.”
Speaking on behalf of the royal fathers who were at the retreat in large number, the Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, Oba Ismail Bolaji Alebiosu, applauded Dr. Adewumi for daring to speak truth to power.
Expressing disappointment over the absence of the political office holders from Kwara South, the monarch said that this would have been different if “Wasiu Ayinde had been invited to come and play music at this outing.”
He urged the elected officeholders to wake up and work for real development as people will no longer tolerate failure.
Speaking to reporters at the end of the Retreat, a member of the KSDI and former Commissioner for Information in Kwara State, Oloriewe Raheem Adedoyin said the Retreat would now be held every quarter.
He praised Governor AbdulRazaq, who joined the Retreat online, for his Pan-Kwara disposition on Governance.
After lectures, presentations, exhaustive deliberations on the main challenges constraining the development of the region, its major mineral and natural endowments, the Retreat proffered profound recommendations for the development of Kwara South.
It particularly stressed “the need to pursue equity in the appropriation of facilities, elective positions and appointments in Kwara State.”
The Retreat was well attended by State Assembly Members-elect, top government officials from the region and Kwara South indigenes from various parts of the county and the Diaspora.
