Southwest traditional rulers and political leaders have resolved to harness vast human and natural resources for regional economic integration during the recent summit in Akure, capital of Ondo State. Deputy Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU reports
In the fifties and sixties, Southwest was the model and envy of other regions. The six states of Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti and Lagos, from the outset, existed as one promising Western Region under its indefatigable pathfinder, Premier Obafemi Awolowo,
That pioneer administration, which existed between 1951 and 1959, was second to none in Africa. Sixty six years after, it remains a reference point in Nigeria.
The first television station in Africa is a legacy. It existed before many countries, including France, attempted one. Other strides include the Liberty Stadium in Ibadan, industrial estates in Ibadan and Ikeja, Cocoa House, also at Ibadan, and farm settlements across the provinces.
Awolowo presided over a cabinet of talents, an efficient civil, teaching and diplomatic service, and the implementation of free education, which increased public literacy, enhanced political consciousness and created economic opportunities.
The region later established the globally recognised University of Ife. It awarded scholarships to brilliant students who became productive leaders. The government promoted agriculture, particularly cocoa farming, as the mainstay of the economy.
Indeed, early leaders were very frugal, patriotic, sincere and selfless. Regional resources were put into productive use and corruption was kept at bay. Despite the political hullabaloo of the sixties, the Southwest still treasured its background as a model.
Unfortunately, the military incursion heralded a turn of events. Federalism collapsed and its pseudo-autonomy was gone. Although governors of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the Second Republic – Lateef Jakande (Lagos State), Adekunle Ajasin (Ondo), Bola Ige (Oyo) and Bisi Onabanjo (Ogun) – tried frantically to reenact the feats, the constraints of the unpredictable era aborted their dream.
Regionalism may appear old fashioned, but its gains and lessons have endured. While the six states cannot be dismantled to pave the way for regression to the old regional order, collaboration by the six Yoruba states of Lagos, Oyo, Ondo, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti, and their scattered kith and kin in Kwara and Kogi can achieve meaningful results.
In recent times, the bond of unity produced the idea of Amotekun, which has, to a large extent, succeeded in reducing crime and criminality in the region, unlike in the Southeast where Ebube Agu has remained a cosmetic outfit.
Southwest leaders are trying to renew their resolve to pursue regional integration to foster prosperity across the six states. They also reiterating their support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic policies and programmes, noting that a sound foundation is being laid for future prosperity of the country.
The regional think-tank, Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), is seeking for stronger collaboration with the governors towards the implementation of plans designed to make the geo-political region to regain its lost glory.
There is also the awareness that only in an atmosphere of unity can the robust ideas be pulled together and deployed towards the development of the zone.
According to the stakeholders, support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is crucial to the success of the reforms that have heralded economic stability and long-term prosperity.
These resolutions were contained in the communiqué issued at the end of the two-day Southwest Stakeholders’ Dialogue, organised by the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, the DAWN Commission, and Southwest Governors’ Forum, held in Akure, Ondo State.
The theme of the conference was: “Strengthening Democracy Through Dialogue: Assessing Progress, Charting the Future.”
The event which was held at the International Conference Centre (The DOME), Akure, was attended by governors of the six Southwest states, traditional rulers, religious leaders, scholars, religious leaders, civil society groups , women and youth groups.
Afenifere leader, 99-year old Chief Rueben Fasoranti said the unity of the Southwest should be preserved always, especially on common matters, despite the transient political differences among those on the drivers’ seats in parts of the six states.
It was a mega events. The ministers of Southwest origin – Wale Edun (Finance and Economy), Adegboyega Oyetola (Blue Economy), Dele Alake (Solid Minerals Development), Adebayo Adelabu (Power) and Isiaq Salako (State, Health) – tendered their stewarship.
Five of the six governors – Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Lucky Aiyedatiwa (host, Ondo), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti, represented by Secretary to Government Prof. Habibat Adubiaro), Ademola Adeleke (Osun, represented by Deputy Governor Kola Adewusi) and Dapo Abiodun (Ogun, represented by Deputy Governor Noimot Salako-Oyedele) – tendered their scorecard.
Elder statesman and pioneer national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief Bisi Akande urged the region to emulate other regions who are taking advantage of how President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is setting the country on the path of federalism through restructuring.
Afenifere Leader Chief Reuben Fasoranti, who renewed his call for unity among Yoruba, said the race should return to the welfarist and progressive ideology of ‘freedom for all, life more abundant.’
The chairman of Proshare Limited, Olufemi Awoyemi, advised the six Southwest states to collaborate economically based on the proposals enjoined by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN).
Awoyemi, who was the keynote speaker, spoke on ‘Two years of the Tinubu administration: Southwest’s perspective and posterity.’
He said Nigeria had moved from the worst risk zone to the recovery zone.
However, he said there is a translation gap between what he described as statistical economy and street economy, adding that the gap between macroeconomic stability and micro-economic reality should be bridged.
Awoyemi said there is a problem triggered by the inability of the sub-national units to complement the efforts of the Federal Government.
He said: “What Tinubu government has done is important. But what Southwest governors should do are more important..”
Awoyemi said while the current crop of leaders benefitted from the vision of illustrious pathfinders like Obafemi Awolowo, Adekunle Ajasin and Bisi Onabanjo, what the governors have done only amounted to tokenism.
He charged them to erect good standards like the ones they inherited from the founding fathers.
Urging Southwest to effectively utilise the opportunity provided by the Southwest Development Commission, he said: “Southwest Commission’s goals, as highlighted by DAWN, has the objective of building a globally competitive economy.
“Southwest Commission should not become a constituency project awarding commission. The purpose is to come up with plans, in synergy with DAWN, to build a legacy like the Oodua Group.
“Southwest should talk about regional rail and renewable power supply, agro-allied industries. Lagos and Ogun should be able to resolve their boundary problems.”
According to the communiqué by the organisers, while some challenges are associated with the economic reforms in the short-term challenges, they are necessary for sustainable growth.
It, however, urged the Federal Government to intensify public enlightenment on its policies and programmes so thT Nigerians can understand their objectives and impacts.
The communique reads: “The Southwest stakeholders express strong support for the bold economic reforms being implemented by the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. While these reforms may present short-term challenges, they are essential for Nigeria’s long-term economic stability and prosperity.
“We call on the Federal Government to intensify public enlightenment and information dissemination on the government’s policies, programmes, and expected impacts. Citizens require clear, transparent, and regular communication to fully understand policy rationale, implementation timelines, and measurable outcomes
“The summit calls for strengthened Yoruba unity and solidarity across all Southwest states and extended Yoruba communities, committing to transcend partisan political differences in pursuit of collective regional development and the advancement of our shared cultural heritage and economic prosperity.
“The Southwest region resolves to reclaim and strengthen its historical position as Nigeria’s centre of development, innovation, and good governance, and to serve as a model for democratic engagement, economic transformation, and social progress.”
The stakeholders called for accelerated regional integration through strategic infrastructure projects, including intra-regional railway networks, industrial hubs, and farm settlements, which they said would boost trade, create jobs, and enhance food security.
They drew the Federal Government’s attention to the poor conditions of federal roads in the region, including the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesha, Lagos–Abeokuta, Ita-Owure-Ado-Ekiti, and Ifaki-Lokoja highways.
To sustain engagement, the summit resolved to institutionalize the Southwest Dialogue as an annual event, serving as a consistent platform for policy assessment and stakeholder collaboration.
It added: “Sector-specific working groups shall be established to provide continuous input on policy development and implementation, meeting regularly to review progress, address challenges, and make evidence-based recommendations to government.”
The communiqué also stated that the DAWN Commission would be strengthened to serve as the technical secretariat of the summit.
Many noted that Yoruba intellectuals and patriots with a deep sense of history have embarked on a lot of activities in the area of regional integration. A document, Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), produced by Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), was released. It is a tribute to the power of ideas.
DAWN is both a document and a process. As a document, it sets out a clear framework for the region’s objectives, priorities and major policy thrusts. It also provides a roadmap upon which governments, development partners, the private sector and civil society can ride on to drive a development agenda.
There is a Yoruba Academy that is dedicated to the preservation of Yoruba language and culture, and the study of history. There is also a Commission or a Directorate of Southwest Economic Development Corporation with its headquarters at Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
It is important for the Southwest to revisit the popular agenda for regional integration now that the prospect of restoring federalism is no more slim.
Strategic economic partnership is crucial to regional integration. The wisdom that permitted the founding fathers of the region to float the conglomerate, Oodua Investment, should not be lacking in their latter-day successors.
Agriculture is a pivotal area the region has to develop. It is shameful that some parts of the Southwest are depending on food crops from the Middle Belt to survive, despite the vast arable land across the six states. The region may not even need fertilisers in aid of farming. Food sufficiency is attainable. Even, in the days of yore when the Yoruba were at war with each other and other tribes, their gallant soldiers still spared some time for planting crops to argument food supply to the war front.
The region is a big market. Labour, both skilled and unskilled, is not in short supply. But, governments of the Southwest should provide the enabling environment. Farmers need roads that will link them to the market so that farm produce would not rot away in nearby and distant farms. Farming, either on small or large scale, could be boosted through government’s incentives, including soft loans to farmers, sourcing improved seedlings, tax holidays and encouragement of farmers’ cooperative societies.
Now that railway has strayed from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List, the Southwest should translate its plan to develop a regional rail infrastructure into action. It should not be difficult to attract investors by the zone. A rail network will boost transportation and trade and even generate some employment. Other resources like gold can also be tapped by the endowed states.
Southwest leaders know that the six states in the region may not be equally endowed. There is need for the sustenance of brotherhood and sacrifice. If only a state has prospects, and others wallow in poverty, such a state is not insulated from the consequences of poverty ravaging the sister state. People from other states but not as endowed will consistently migrate to the seeming prosperous state and there will be more pressure on the infrastructure of the lone prosperous state.
Regional integration is about leveraging the comparative advantage within the region. A part of the region may not be endowed with finance, but it may be endowed in other areas. For example, in Osun, Ekiti and Ondo, there are abundant land resources. Lagos has financial resources. To crystallise a developmental and industrial programme in the region, there is need for massive and large scale agriculture to grow the agro-allied industry. Lagos and Osun, or Lagos and Ekiti can collaborate in this win-win situation. It is not about money alone. Resources for production are varied and they abound in different parts of the region.
Can the Southwest survive without oil? The question is apt, in view of the handout economy being operated in the country whereby states, cap in hand, beg the Federal Government for monthly allocations.
At the Akure summit were Ondo State Deputy Governor Olayide Adelami, Chief Sehinde Arogbofa, former Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko, Senator Remi Okurinboye, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, Third Republic House of Representatives Chief Whip Olawale Oshun, and NDDC Executive Director Chief Ifedayo Abegunde.
Also present were Senator Ganiyu Solomon, Cornelius Ojelabi, one-time Ondo State Deputy Governor Lasisi Oluboyo, Prof. Banji Aluko, Chief Pius Akinyelure, Ondo APC Chairman Ade Adetimehin, Ambassador Sola Iji, Chief Jamiu Ekungba, Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga, former Oyo State Deputy Governor Alake Adeyemo, former Ogun State Deputy Governor Segun Adesegun, Dare Babarinsa, Tunde Rahmon, Dr. Adetunji Adeoye, Ondo State Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Chairman Pade Adeniji, Bola Adewusi, Chief Jide Awe, Sola Elesin, Ayo Afolabi, Taiwo Olatunbosun, Idowu Ajanaku, and DAWN Director-General Dr. Seye Oyeleye.
Traditional rulers at the conference included the Alafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, the Olowo of Owo and Chairman, Council of Obas, Ondo State, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye, the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, the Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Michael Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Laoye, Olugbo of Ugbo, Oba Obateru Akinruntan, and the Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Victor Kiladejo.
Also present were Senator Remi Okunrinboye, Senator Femi Okurounmu, Chief Jamiu Ekungba, Bolaji Adebiyi, Tope Ajayi, Chief Kole Omololu and former Information Commissioner Yemi Olowolabi.
