Kunle Adelabu & Mariam Okiye (Trainee Student)
Disturbed by the level of development in Igbogbo and the direction at which the community is going, the youths in the ancient community, under the aegis of Igbogbo Youth Coalition (IYC), have started charting new ways to address the social, political and economic challenges confronting the community.
They gathered at the Adeboruwa palace in Igbogbo on October 1, where the theme, “Youth Involvement In Politics: A New Approach “, was discussed for new practicable and effective ways of achieving development.
Mr Gbenga Odunniyi, the IYC President, speaking with THE IMPACT, said that the occasion, which was in commemoration of the second year anniversary of his administration, also afforded them an opportunity to charge the youths towards the development of the community.
He also called for new ways of doing things so as to achieve desired results in moving the community forward.
“It is an occasion of Nigeria’s 61st independence and commemoration of the second year in office of IYC executives”, he said.
“It has been a period of great experience since we were sworn in to serve the youths and the community in general. Thank God for the journey thus far.
“We gathered here today not only to talk about political issues but also to have a new approach to social, cultural and economic development of our community.
“We need to commit and engage ourselves thoroughly with sincerity of purpose by channeling and synergizing across board towards a fruitful direction. To achieve a greater level of success, we must all get involved and make our impact felt”, IYC President charged.
The first speaker at the parley, Barr. Saheed Kolawole Shillings, a former Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikorodu branch and community developer, said that youths should change their perception about politics and get involved in community activities if they want a desired change.
“I was privy to the Obaship tussle between late Oba Fatola and Odugbose. The crisis divided Igbogbo community into two to the extent that two brothers were at logger head”, Barr. Shillings recalled.
“As long as politics is old, we will still be talking about the old approach. We can only be talking about perspectives or ways that we have not bothered to look at before because there is no new politics”, the speaker told his audience.
“There could be new dimensions to what has been existing. Politics itself is all about dynamism.
“According to the textbook definition that I read, politics is about who gets what, where and how. As long as we want a new approach, we must talk about who does what, where and how, before we begin to talk about how to share.
“Politics is everywhere and it is about our lives and I don’t know how it turned out to be a game, let alone a dirty or clean game. But what we must understand is that it is our lives. We are either a beneficiary or victim of it, and whichever way, you must participate in it”, he charged Igbogbo youths.
“We are always particular about the end game here instead of the process. The history of politics is about human beings, philosophy, socio – economics and at the centre of it is law which is codification.
“Since we all cannot go to the House of Assembly, let’s begin to look at another dimension and how we can shape what is going on in the House of Assembly”, he advised.
He said that members of the group must start developing and positioning themselves for opportunities outside their immediate environment.
“Changing our perspective starts with individual developments and how we are perceived among our peers. Who are you and how are you fit for responsibility? From there, you move to how to use individual development for collective benefits “, speaker said.
“You need education and power to provide basic things for yourself; in terms of opportunities; health wise.
“You also need knowledge which you acquired around your environment. This is very vital because it carries you a long way.
“Most of us are contended with all these local offices like Councilor, House of Assembly without knowing that there are bigger things. If you want to develop Igbogbo, you must begin to look beyond these. Some of us failed in that regard and we suffered for it. That’s why I am telling you today”, he advised.
“You must continue to search for knowledge academically and in other aspects. You can only develop your knowledge capacity with continuous engagements and thoughts.
“If you decide that you want to be part of those that will develop this town, that is where your thought pattern will be and you only need logic to guide yourself.
“You need mentors to acquire knowledge. This is also part of our own failings”.
Barr. Shillings also implored members of the IYC to start taking responsibilities as leaders and engage government on issues that are of importance to the development of the community.
“It is high time you start thinking that the mantle of leadership is now entrusted upon you. The new dimension is that we have to start thinking for ourselves”, he said.
“There has been demolition (houses demolished for road construction) for about five years without anyone thinking of what to do. It is your duty to speak about it because you are the leaders of tomorrow. Those elders had tried all that they could about it and now it is your turn and the government must listen to you”.
He said that the Adeboruwa palace, which ought to be the symbol of the community, is not serving the purpose because the community does not care.
“Look at our palace the way it is, this is not good enough and something must be done about it. Some of us are always afraid to talk but when we talk, there will always be an amendment”, he charged the youths again.
“As Igbogbo Youth Coalition, you have to leave our fathers aside, you should be able to approach the government and they will listen to you (youths). You can send delegation to Alausa and let them know what you want.
“You need to start thinking of how to make this palace befitting for this town. If we don’t do it today, we will live with what we make of it tomorrow”, he said.
Barr. Adeboye Dankuwo, the second speaker and a Deputy Director, National Assembly, Abuja, in his own submission, said that the implication of looking for new ways of doing things is that the old ways are longer serving the community.
The frontline community activist stated that the many challenges that confronted Igbogbo brought about its political misfortune which he said must be reversed.
He also pointed to deep political crises and hatred within the town as the bane of its development.
“If we are looking for a new approach, it means that the old system is no longer working and if we have to look for a new approach in handling our affairs, it must be practicable and workable”, he said.
“The truth is that Igbogbo is not moving forward politically.
“Our orientation in Igbogbo in the 70s was that if we did not vote, we would not get whatever we wanted, hence, we were interested in politics of development then.
“The Obaship tussle and later, the military takeover, caused lacuna in Igbogbo, whereby, there was nobody to train or groom young ones politically, academically and socially too.That caused our own generation and those after us to be wasted politically.
“We found ourselves in this situation because our political loyalty is not to the community but to political leaders who are actually political dealers.
“There is no succession plan to take over from those that have been in the saddle after they might have gone.
“It was unfortunate that after a son of Igbogbo was removed as Minister, Igbogbo people brought out drums and were dancing which is our nature and why we are where we are.
“There is unprovoked hatred among us. Some people just hate you for being who you are and not because you have done them any wrong”, he said.
Speaking about the way out, Barr. Dankuwo charged youths to be ready to develop a system that is workable and effective that is completely different from the way Igbogbo’s social, economic and political lives were managed before now.
“There is a need for us to choose who our political leaders are. We are actually in need of leaders and not dealers as we have now”, he said.
“To change the existing system, you need to build a modern system that will make the existing system obsolete without fighting the old order”.
He also charged youths to engage more in community development.
“We must also prioritise education in Igbogbo. It is unfortunate that Igbogbo that produced the first educated Oba in Lagos State, has now turned to home of cultists, Ajagungbales and Shisha smokers as seen with some of our students”, Dankuwo said disappointedly.
“This was not the Igbogbo that we grew up in, where discipline and education were very paramount”, he added.
