OKUN SPEAKS WITH ONE VOICE AND CLEAR AGENDA COMMNIQUE OF THE CONFERENCE OF STAKEHOLDERS HELD ON WEDNESDAY, MARH 5, 2014 AT THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, KABBA ON OKUN PEOPLE’S POSITION ON THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN NIGERIA, 2014. The Okun Development Association (ODA), an umbrella socio-cultural and development organization of the Okun Yoruba people of Kogi State, convened a one day stakeholders’ conference, at the College of Agriculture, Kabba on Wednesday March 5, 2014 to articulate and canvass a common position of the Okun people on core issues that affect their sub-nationality in the up-coming National Conference in Nigeria. The conference was well attended by the leadership of traditional institutions, representatives of youth and women associations, community development movements, faith-based-organizations (FBOs), business and professional groups, the academia, local and national civil society organizations, associations of Okun people in the Diaspora, etc, - all from the six (6) Local Government Areas constituting the Okun indigenous territory that spreads through Yagba West, Yagba East, Mopamuro, Ijumu, Kabba/Bunu LGAs and Oworoland that is part of Lokoja Local Government. Prominent among stakeholders at the conference were Ambassador Babtunde Fadumiyo, Professor Eyitayo Lambo, Chief Emmanuel Otitoju, The Right Reverend S. K. Akobe, Chief Tunji Arosanyin, Dr Stephen Olorunfemi, Chief Harry Osha, Olubunu of Bunu, Oba Joseph Ikusemoro, Agbana of Isanlu, Oba Aaron Ikuborije, Elulu of Mopa, Oba Julius Joledo, Oluadde of Ekinrin-Adde, Oba Solomon Hambolu, Elejuku of Ejuku, ObaSamuel Adetiba, Oba of Poyan, Dr. Bola Ikuponiyi, Kogi State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Olufemi Bolarin, Kogi State Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Engr. Tunji Osanisi, Maj Gen J. O. S. Oshanupin (rtd), Prince Olusola Akanmode, Otunba Dino Melaye, Hon. Engr. Yori Afolabi, Mr. John Baiyeshea, SAN, Professor Albert Anjorin, Professor Gbenga Ibileye, Professor Idowu Ajibero, Senator Joseph Obasaju, Dr Duro Oniemola, Dr Michael Obamiro, Mr. Tunde Ipinmisho and many other prominent indigenes of Okunland. The collective experience of Okun People is that the collapse of the former Northern Nigeria government and the attendant miniaturization of power and politics has severely constrained rather than advance the opportunities for the attainment of the social, political and economic aspirations of the Okun people in Kogi State. Therefore, the Okun people in Kogi State and the Diaspora, rising from the one-day conference, note and resolve as follows: 1. That the National Conference is a welcome opportunity to articulate and canvass a redress for the multiple injustices arising from the inappropriate geographical location of Okun people since amalgamation of 1914. 2. Since the collapse of the Northern Nigerian Government in 1966, which Okun people contributed immensely to build and nurture, the cultural, economic and political fortunes of Okun people have been on the decline and have reached their nadir in the present Kogi State due to unrelenting ethnic domination and monopoly of power. 3. The various protests, appeals and advocacy for fairness, equity and justice since the times of the constitutional conferences in London in 1959 and before several panels on creation of States and boundaries re-adjustment hitherto, have never yielded the desired attention, as the people have never been allowed to determine “where” they should belong and who should govern them and guarantee their self-actualization, security, development and overall well-being. 4. The dismal and decrepit nature of our infrastructure ( with particular reference to roads), our agonizing denial of a university campus or full-fledged university by the state and Federal Governments, the rudimentary stage of the development of our agricultural and mineral resources (with particular reference to the neglect of Omi Dam), the non-implementation of the proposed 330KVA substation in Isanlu which now appears abandoned had the cumulative effect of a stunted growth and development of an otherwise highly endowed people 5. The heat on the political life of Okun people is approaching a combustive point, hence every lawful pressure must be applied to diffuse the tension and set the people free from the sideline of public life, and thus enable the youth, women and children have hope and pride to be Nigerians. 6. That the Okun people in Kogi State support totally, the position of the Southwest leadership to politically re-unite with their kith and kin in Kogi and Kwara States as the boundaries imposed since 1914 remain artificial and antithetical to unity and progress. Arising from the foregoing, therefore, the conference passed the following resolutions: 1. That we, the Okun people in Kogi State and in the Diaspora repose confidence in all Okun Yoruba persons who have been appointed to participate at the National Conference irrespective of the different channels of their appointment. 2. The Okun people reaffirm their Yoruba origin, culture and values which are congruent with those of the Yoruba in the Southwest of Nigeria with whom we share territorial contiguity. 3. We, therefore, put forward as our core demand core demand, the readjustment or re-location of Okun people’s political boundary in Nigeria from the North-Central zone to the Southwest zone of Nigeria. 4. The Okun people support and are committed to the principles of true federalism, whereby Nigeria adopts a federation of six (6) regions and a federal centre, both tiers working as coordinate rather than subordinate structures, and in accordance with their separate constitutions. 5. Each region should consist of agreed number of states based on political peculiarities, and each state should be divided into Local Government Areas; while each Local Government Area is broken into Districts or Development Areas. 6. The Okun people of Kogi State should be carved out as a new state, Okun State in the Southwest region, based on their enormous economic potentials and human capacity. 7. In enhancing No. 6 above, the Okun people do not object to cooperation and/or relationship with any group of people who share similar aspiration and willingness to realign with this core interest and demand. 8. Owing to the vastness of each Local Government Area in Okun territory, more Local Government Areas, Districts and Development Areas should be created along with the new State structure to enhance effective participatory democracy and good governance from below. 9. We recommend amendments to Sections 7 (1) and 162 (6) and (8) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, to properly establish the Local Government system as an autonomous fourth-tier of government in the new Nigeria but second-tier in each of the new States in the new Regions; and to replace the archaic functions with responsibilities that are relevant to contemporary development; and also removing the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and the Local Government Service Commission and transfer their administrative functions to each of the new Local Governments. 10. A formal referral council should be created to enable the leadership of traditional institutions participate on specific matters that promote culture and tradition, energize domestic security, promote peace and harmony and oversee local development resources and projects. 11. Specific and clear constitutional clause(s) should be made to enforce the rotation of the position of Chief Executive among the component parts of the Federal, Regional, State and Local Government Areas, to forestall objectionable domination by a particular group of persons or interests. 12. The revenue sharing formula for the Federation Account should be adjusted as follows: Derivation- 20%; Federal Government – 25%; Federating Units/Regions = 30%; Local Government – 20%; and Other funds – 5%. 13. The pursuit of justice demands unhindered access to the instruments of justice – the courts. Therefore, every litigant should have access to the highest hierarchy of the judicial system in the pursuit of justice without impediment. The restriction of litigation to only the Court of Appeal especially on election matters is an inhibition of freedom and liberty hence should be removed; while each region may have her own supreme court and each State to have a Court of Appeal. 14. In view of the fact that the current Presidential Executive system of government is vulnerable to systemic corruption, inefficiency, party indiscipline, impunity and poor accountability and transparency, Nigeria should opt for a Parliamentary system of government, which will be more cost effective, accountable and efficient in service delivery. 15. The public service institutions at all levels of governance should be reconstructed, re-tooled and professionally manned from the abundance of human capital in Nigeria to save them from total collapse and national embarrassment. 16. Okun people in Kogi State and in the Diaspora hereby urge their representatives and friends to articulate, canvass and negotiate these resolutions, particularly the core wish that an Okun State be created and adjusted/realigned with the South-West of Nigeria. AMB. PAUL BABATUNDE FADUMIYO NATIONAL PRESIDENT S. Oke Secretary
Posted on: Fri, 07 Mar 2014 11:50:40 +0000
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