Being a text of speech delivered at the first Oworo youth Day organized by Oworo Youth Vanguard on the 11th February, 2023 at Felele – Lokoja, Kogi State.
Kolade Umoru, Fcai, Ch.mc
It is a great honour to be in your midst as Guest Speaker to discuss this important topic, which I consider a critical factor for nation-building and community trust at this point in our chequered history as a nation. I would like to thank the organizers for the kind invitation and for deeming me fit to speak on this auspicious occasion and for finding me worthy of Honourary Membership as Patron of Oworo Youth Vanguard. As one of the Patrons, I am aware that it was founded in 2009 with the sole aim of promoting the Unity of Oworo Youths and working hand-in-hand with other related Associations, groups, and clubs within Oworoland for unity, peace and progress.
Conceptual Framework
This paper would first explain Unity and Development as major variables of this topic. The concept of Unity is often associated with the phrase mutual relationship and togetherness (Oneness) with the desire to achieve a common purpose and aspirations. It also provides a constant source of positive motivation and greater accomplishments. Unity is generally seen as the bedrock of any Society. This explains the reason why the threat to the Unity of any group of people is sometimes viewed with all seriousness it deserves. Again unity is one of the major
factors that determine the development of any society and without peaceful co-
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existence among the members of any community, its progress will be a mirage. The unity of Oworo is therefore paramount to her overall development.
When we come together as a community then we can flourish and expand our Security of purpose and vision. It was John Dickinson, one of America’s founding fathers that said ” United we stand, divided we fall”. This is also supported by Thomas Paine when he said ” It is not in numbers but it is in unity that our great strength lies”. And to a great extent, Abraham Lincoln’s statement is instructive when he said “A house divided against itself cannot stand”. So as one Oworo, one community with common antecedents, aspirations and destiny, our quest for unity becomes necessary. It is through unity that a community like ours engages in a process aimed at improving the ability of the community to collectively make better decisions about the use of resources such as infrastructure, labour and knowledge etc.
Development:
This is referred to as a state or condition of change (Static) it is a process or course of change(dynamic). Development is not purely an economic phenomenon but rather a multi-dimensional process involving the reorganization and reorientation of the entire economic and social system. It is a process of improving the quality of human lives within three important aspects known as Todaro’s 3 objectives of Development:-
1. Raising people’s living levels in the areas of income and consumption, levels
of food, medical services, and education through relevant processes etc;
2. Creating conditions conducive to the growth of peoples’ (self-esteem) through the establishment of social, political and economic systems and institutions which promote human dignity and respect;
3. Increasing people’s freedom of choice.
Akin Mabogunje(1989) describes Development as a modernization process through advancement in social, cultural and political processes e.g. A shift from commodity subsistence to investment in education and businesses. It may be advancement in wealth-oriented behaviour and values in Individuals and groups. Development is a process that increases choices. It means new options, diversification, thinking about apparent issues differently and anticipating change (Christenson et al, 1989). Development involves change, improvement, flexibility, equity and inclusion in the ways we think, or do things.
Our quest for Unity.
Oworo with over twenty villages is culturally and traditionally a Federation. This implies that within the community framework of socio cultural paradigms, Oworo must live above parochialism and primordial arrangements. There urgent need to aggregate our differences into Unity for peace and progress. Oworo is a distinct people with a unique identity that has a common history, and economic and political values. Of course, one paramount ruler ship domicile in the Olu of Oworo.
Despite these experiences and expressions, our reluctant effort to ensure Unity
permeates our Community has failed and still failing. This ugly phenomenon has
adversely affected the development of our Community and our collective aspirations as people.
Therefore, increasing our quest for Unity, the following suggestions would be useful.
i. We must urgently rebuild and reawaken the Oworo Students’ Union (OSU), Oworo Development Association (ODA);
ii. The need it reinvigorate various cultural platforms e.g Oluwo festival, Alegede festival etc;
iii. Real and sincere Collaboration among various village Organizations;
iv. The need to open spaces for tolerance and inclusiveness across imaginary
boundaries;
v. The elite organizations such as Oworo Peace Forum and The Oworo
Foundation must increase their advocacy for Unity.
Conclusion
As I conclude this presentation, I am convinced that it is indisputable that Unity engenders development in all its facets. We must commit to Unity of Purpose and Progress. The new paradigm of Unity is ” Oworo First” which must be people- oriented and people must be involved in the decision-making processes in Oworoland. Within the context of the national struggle for political and economic spaces, every ethnic group, Oworo inclusive must increase the pace of development through Unity, Peace and Progress. This is increasingly important because of our numerical strength and unique identity as Oworo.
Therefore, it is imperative that as sub-national we must co-exist peacefully with ourselves and other ethnic groups (big and small) within Nigeria’s social, economic, cultural and political milieu. The Oworo Youths Vanguard and indeed Oworo Youths must be aware of Oworo’s progress and connect to it, especially in this age of globalization as the age of seclusion, parochialism and chauvinism is dead and cast into a scrap of history. May God help us.
Thank you for your attention.