Tuesday, 7 February 2012
INDUSTRALIZATION OF IJESALAND
INDUSTRALISATION OF IJESALAND BY ENGR. DIDEOLU FALOBI
PRESENTED BY
ENGR. DIDEOLU FALOBI, MNSE, MIoD
VICE PRESIDENT (AFRICA)
IJESA PEOPLE IN DIASPORA ORGANISATION (IPID)
AT THE I-PID WORLD CONFERENCE
HELD AT HOUSTON, TEXAS FROM OCTOBER 28 – 30, 2011
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Industrialization can be said to be the process in which a society or country (or world) transforms itself from a primarily agricultural society into one based on the manufacturing of goods and services. Individual manual labour is often replaced by mechanized mass production and craftsmen are replaced by assembly lines. Industrialization as defined by Anyanwu, et al., (1997) is the totality of relations involving workers, employers and the society as they develop to make up new machines, process of building up a nation’s capacity to convert raw materials and other inputs into finished goods for other production or for final consumption. United Nations Committee on Planning saw it as not only a means of producing wider variety of products by the application of modern technology but also as a means of improving the working conditions and standard of living of poverty stricken people of the world. Characteristics of industrialization include the use of technological innovation to solve problems as opposed to superstition or dependency upon conditions outside human control such as the weather, as well as more efficient division of labour and economic growth.
Industrialization is a process of change (both social and economic) in which a human group is transformed from a society that is pre-industrial into a society that is industrial. Industrialization is characterized by technological innovation and can thus be summarized as;
1. The process by which traditionally non industrial sectors (such as agriculture, education, health) of an economy become increasingly similar to the manufacturing sector of the economy.
2. Sustained economic development based on factory production, division of labour, concentration of industries and population in certain geographical areas, and urbanization.
The objective of this paper is to look at industrialization of Ijesaland starting with the brief history of Ijesaland, industries in Ijesaland with emphasis on the opportunities for setting up industries, the agricultural resources; what they can be processed into natural resources available in Ijesaland and investment opportunities that abound in these areas.
It also looks at the requirements for setting up industries and the benefits in terms of return on investment that can be derived from such investments, the types of funding available to intending investors and in conclusion the opportunity for further development of Ijesaland through industrialization.
2.0 THE CONCEPT OF INDUSTRIALIZATION
The role of industrialization in economic development cannot be overemphasized. Nations seek to achieve rapid industrial development because of its potential benefits. UNIDO (1973) observed that industrialization could stimulate economic development which would generate a surplus that in turn would lead to faster growth in output and diversification of that output which could lead to structural change conducive to sustained income and economic growth.
Industrialization would also bring about social transformation, social equality, higher levels of employment, more equitable distribution of income and a well balanced regional development, that is to say that an economy gains the veracity and resilience that enable it to raise the standard of living of its people.
Anyanwu, et al., (1997) outlined the importance of industrialization to include provision of avenue for the conversion of raw materials into finished consumer goods or intermediate or producer goods, creates avenue for employment, helps boost agriculture, helps to diversify the economy, helps the nation to increase its foreign exchange earnings, enables local labour to acquire skills, minimizes the risk of over dependence on foreign trade and leads to the fullest utilization of available resources.
3.0 A CASE FOR INDUSTRIALIZATION
3.1 INTRODUCTION
Ilesha (Ilesa), founded in circa 1500AD, is the largest town and the capital of Ijesha kingdom in Osun State, Nigeria. It lies on Latitude 8.92°N Longitude 3.42°E. Ilesa lies in the Yoruba Hills and at the intersection of roads from Ile-Ife, Oshogbo , and Akure.
Ilesa is a city located in the western part of Nigeria; it is also the name of a historic state (also known as Ijesha or Ijesa) centered around that city. The state was ruled by a monarch bearing the title of Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland. The state of Ijesaland consists of Ilesa itself and a number of surrounding towns and villages. The Ijesas, a term also denoting the people of the state of Ijesaland, are part of the present Osun State of Nigeria. Some of the popular towns of the Ijesas are Osu, Ijebu-Ijesa, Ipetu-Ijesa, Iperindo, Iwoye-Ijesa, Ibokun, Erin Ijesa, Esa Oke, Ipole, Ifewara, Iwara, Erinmo, Iwaraja, Idominasi, Ilase, Igangan, Imo, Imesi-Ile, Ikeji-IIe, Esa-Odo, Kajola, Otan-Ile, Owena-Ijesha, etc. There are in fact not less than 200 towns and villages in Ijesaland.
Most of these towns have basic social amenities, local industries, banks and higher institutions. Ijeshaland covers six local governments. Two of the local governments have their headquarters within Ilesha metropolis while the other four are at Ibokun, Ijebu-Jesa, Osu and Iperindo. Ijesaland deserves more than six local governments. SHE SHOULD AS A MATTER OF FACT BE A STATE IN HER OWN RIGHT. This is because Ijeshaland is more developed, her people more sophisticated, educated and can be more economically viable than some states in Nigeria.
3.2 IJESALAND IN MODERN TIMES
Modern Ijesaland is a major collecting point for the export of cocoa and a traditional cultural centre for the Ijesa branch of the Yoruba people. Palm oil and kernels, yams, cassava, corn (maize), pumpkins, cotton, and kola nuts are collected for the local market. Local industries manufacture nails, foams, paint and carpets, and the town has a brewery; there are also a recording company and a publishing firm, and the Supreme Oil industry at Ilesa. Several prominent quartzite ridges lie east of Ilesha, and gold mining is an important activity in the area.
Ilesha is a classic – though hardly a typical – example of that ethnographic celebrity, the Yoruba town: a large, nucleated settlement that is the centre of a kingdom and itself the primary residence of an overwhelmingly agricultural population. Even when it was largely derelict owing to war, in 1886, Ilesha’s population was estimated to be between 20,000 and 25,000 and a figure of up to 40,000 may be appropriate for the height of its growth before the sack in 1870. Though this is not as large as the largest Oyo-Yoruba towns of the nineteenth century, its considerable size was not due, as theirs was, to very heavy recent immigration under the impact of the wars.
It was the recognition of the need for the Ijesas to lift up themselves by their own bootstraps that led to the establishment of the Ijesa Improvement Society, the first modern pan-Ijesa socio-cultural group, in 1922. It was at a time when the Ijesa not only had problems with their British colonial overlords but also with their own local administration under the Owa Obokun who had since 1914 been constituted into a Sole Native Authority on the model of the Northern Nigeria Emirates, under the Indirect Rule System introduced by Sir Fredrick Lugard. This meant that the Ijesas had to contend not only with a hostile foreign colonial power but with an unloved local administration supported by that foreign colonial power. In this kind of unpleasant political climate, the best help was self help.
The principle of self help, which was elevated to a philosophy of action by the aggressively individualistic Ijesa in the inter-tribal war years, was to assist the socio-economic development of Ijesaland and to make the Ijesa very cautious towards, if not totally suspicious of all governments be it local, regional or national in the post war and pre-independence era. This explains why the few commercial and industrial establishments in Ijesaland today are owned largely by the Ijesa themselves. Indeed, with the exception of the recent Federal Government efforts to exploit the gold deposits at Itagunmodi and Igun in Atakumosa Local Government area, there are virtually no government-sponsored commercial and industrial undertakings in the whole of Ijesaland!
3.3 “OSOMAALO”
The Ijesas are the “Osomaalos” of Nigeria. As described in the book by Omole (1991) the appellation was originally considered as a term of abuse to characterize the aggressive Ijesa textile traders. The word ‘Osomaalo’ is tied to the process of debt collection. It means ‘I will not sit until I have collected my money,’ showing an inflexible determination to succeed in the face of all odds.
3.4. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF INDUSTRIALISATION IN IJESA LAND
The Egbe Atunluse of Ilesa had been in the vanguard of self help in the development of Ijesaland in the height of apathy by the colonial government. This led to the founding of Ilesa Grammar School in 1934. However, the industrious nature of the Ijesas was exemplified by the foray of Ijesas into textile trading which took them far from home. This of course exposed them to Industrialisation in cities such as Ibadan, Lagos and Ilorin where they saw how one company gainfully employed hundreds of people directly and indirectly.
Thus, recognition must be given to the pioneers of industrialisation in Ijesaland such as Late Pa Lawrence Omole, Late Pa Isaac Ajanaku, Late Maxwell Falomo, Chief Adediran, Chief Moshood Balogun, Mr.Adedeji (DUCANA), Pa Fabelurin, Dr (Mrs.) Olayinka Obaleye and Mr. & Mrs. S.O. Ogedengbe among others. These great Ijesas and others founded various industries such as International Breweries Plc, Adediran Steel and Wire Industries, AKAD Oil, Supreme Oil, Flexible Packaging, Abiobe Plastics, Yinka Oba Foams, Rainbow Paints and Allied Products, West Steel, AMBACO Foods, Ogbedu Plastics, Ilesanmi Publishing, Fatiregun Publishing, Jorotom Leather Industries among others. The impact of these industries on the socio-economic growth of Ijesaland cannot but be applauded and acknowledged.
3.5. WHY INDUSTRIALISE IJESALAND?
As stated earlier, Industrialisation is a tool for socio-economic growth and emancipation. Ijesaland has a population of 481, 843 (1963 census). Given that the population rose by almost 300% compared with the 1963 census, then the projected population of the Ijesas today, if we allow for Rural Urban migration should be about 1, 500,000 (One Million Five Hundred Thousand) today! This population is highly articulate, well educated and generally hardworking. Osun state has a population of about 3.5million people whereas Yorubaland all of which forms veritable catchment areas for any industry located in Ijesaland has a population of almost 50million people. Given the projected Infrastructural development vision for Nigeria, Ijesaland will soon be linked by dual carriage way with Lagos through Ibadan and Ife; Osogbo and to the East through Akure. The rail line at Osogbo means that evacuation of products to all parts of the Country will be very easy. The presence of water resources in Asejire, Esa Odo, Erin Ijesa, Owena and so on also means that water, a major raw material in all industrial processes in readily available in Ijesaland. The people of Ijesaland, by reputation, are hospitable, honest and not known to easily give up on what they believe in. Ijesaland also boasts of several raw materials for Industrialisation such as Agricultural Products, cash crops, Gold, and abundant forest Resources.
Finally, scattered around Ijesaland are technical schools, Polytechnics and even the Universities of Ife, Ibadan, Akure and Ado-Ekiti are all within our catchment area with a high population of Ijesas as both staff and students.
Thus, all the major requirements for Industrialisation are in Ijesaland. These are:
Land
Human resources
Financial Resources
Market
Road Network
Raw Materials
Good Weather
A History of Industrial success as exemplified by previous success stories despite the odds.
3.6 BENEFITS OF INDUSTRIALISING IJESALAND
1. Immediate employment generation directly through the construction of industries.
2. Immediate employment generation indirectly through auxiliary services to be provided by others during the construction activities such as supply of aggregates and related activities
. 3. Directly employment of Ijesas by the Industries.
4. Increased business opportunities for auxiliary services such as supply of raw materials, distribution of finished products, provision of services such as consultancy, training, repairs, banking etc.
5. Increase in value of land and rental values of accommodation.
6. Transfer of Technology to the Indigenes.
7. Increased disposable income generally
8. Increased utilisation of land.
9. Introduction of better farming techniques and improved funding for farmers.
10. Increased tax revenue for the government.
11. Improved infrastructure by government to encourage the industrialists.
12. Benefits accruing from the discharge of corporate social responsibility by the different industries.
13. Reduction of criminal activities through gainful employment and better security which will be a natural concern of the industries.
14. Greater, better and more prosperous Ijesas and Ijesaland.
4.1 EXPORTABLE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS IN IJESHALAND
(A) CEREALS
Maize, Soybeans, Rice which can be processed into Animal feed, Poultry feed, Corn flakes, Corn starch, Industrial starch.
(B) ROOTS AND TUBERS
Yam, Cassava, Sweet potato, Cocoyam which can be processed into Garri, Industrial starch, Cassava flour, Yam flour.
C) FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
FRUITS
Oranges, Grape Fruit, Lemon, Tangerine, Plantain, Banana, Mango, Pineapple, Pawpaw, Guava, Bread Fruit, Walnut, Chrysophyllum, Albidum (agbalumo), Invingiagabonensis (Apon). These can be processed to juice, chips and soon.
VEGETABLES
Pepper, Tomato, Amaranthu (tete), Okro, Melon (Celocynthiscitrulus), Waterleaf (Talinum), Bitter leaf, Egg plant, Fluted Pumpkin (Telfariaoccidentalis), Celosis (Sokoyokoto) Corchorus Clitorius (Ewedu) which can be processed into Tomato Puree, Pepper sauce, Tomato canning, Vegetable processing.
(D) LEGUMES
Cowpea, Melon, Groundnut which can be processed into Groundnut oil, Cowpea Flour and Vegetable oil.
(E) INDUSTRIAL CROPS
Cotton and Sugarcane which can be processed into clothing and household consumable sugar or industrial sugar respectively.
(F) TREE CROPS
Cocoa, Kolanut, Coconut, Oil Palm, Raffia Palm, Cashew which can be processed into Cocoa Powder, Cocoa butter, Palm oil, Palm kernel oil, Broom, Palm Wine, Kolanut Wine.
(G) FORESTS AND SHRUBS
Chlorophora, Excelsa, Teminalia, Superba, Antiarisafricana, Tectonagrandis, Ginelinaarborea, CordiaMilleni, Mahogany, Parkiabiglobosa, Gliricidiasepium, Adansoniadigitata etc. They can be processed into Paper Products, Ruler, Furniture, Billet, Tooth Picks, Particle Board, Electric pole, Match-sticks, and Asbestos.
(5) LIVESTOCK AND FISHERIES
LIVESTOCK
Rabbit, Poultry, Cattle, Sheep, Goat, Pig. Products like eggs, meat, bone, animal skin, Blood meal can be derived from them.
FISHERIES
Tilapia, Clarias, Heterotis, Channa, Cymnarchus, Momurus, Heterobranchuscarpio Chrysicthyis, Hepseus, Oreochromis, Oboscura, Cternopoma, etc.
5.1 WATER BASED PRODUCTS
Erin Oke waterfalls, Omi – Asoro and Esa-odo dam are all veritable sources of water for water bottling plants, breweries, hydro based power plants and related industries.
6.0 MODELS
There are different models for Industrialisation in a particular community. Some of these are as below:
6.1 PRIVATE
Private can be solely owned or in a partnership. The International Breweries Ilesa is a veritable example of a partnership that worked while most of the other industries in Ijesaland were promoted by individuals or single families.
6.2 PUBLIC
This is when one of the Federal, State or Local Governments decide to set up industries for strategic reasons. The Obafemi Awolowo Administration utilised this and this was how the Oodua Group was born. However, public ownership of industries is becoming unpopular as the governments are now committed to only providing an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.
6.3 PUBLIC -PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
This is a model that allows partnership between private Investors and the government. In most cases, the governments’ equity is in form of land and infrastructures only. This model sometimes makes access to funding by purpose set-up Industrial funding organisations such as the Bank of Industry easier.
6.4 COMMUNITY
This model was made popular in China in which entire communities put all their resources together to create industries. This model is one which I will strongly recommend as a starting point for us in Ijesaland with a target of having an industry in each of the local government areas with a capacity for employing up to 500 people each directly.
In such a model the list of shareholders and structure will be something similar to what is below:
a. State Government = 5%
b. Local Government = 5%
c. Core Technical Investor = 40%
d. Core Financial Investor (Indigenes) = 30%
e. General Populace (Indigenes) = 10%
However, a target for exit must be put in place ab-initio such that after a certain number of years, the local and state government should disinvest and use the recovered investment as seed money for another industrial venture.
7.0 FUNDING
7.1 Foreign
There are various funds available outside Nigeria for Investment in Industries in places like Nigeria.
However, to access this fund, a strategy has to be put in place with well enunciated industrial policies and concerted action by all stakeholders. Some of the organisations with such funds are:
a) IFU – Industrialisation Fund for Developing Countries
b) UNDP – United Nations Development Programme
c) IFC – International Finance Corporation
d) World Bank
e) IBRD – International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
f) ADB – African Development Bank
There are also several foreign private investors who are eager to take advantage of the cheaper labour and huge market that Nigeria generally offers and all these can be attracted using a policy document that clearly enunciates the incentives, opportunities and objectives.
7.2 Local
The Bank of Industry (www.boinigeria.com) of Nigeria primarily assists local and foreign entrepreneurs to establish new industries as well as expand and modernise existing industries. The website quoted above contains full details of the requirements to access the funds. The funds are cheaper and the terms are much more liberal than what the regular commercial banks offer.
Also, funds are available with a lot of commercial banks for loans to support Small and Medium Scale Enterprises.
The Central Bank of Nigeria is currently engaged in the establishment of various funds for various sectors of the economy which are being run by various banks. These funds are available at lower interest rates and more liberal terms. Please check www.cenbank.org
7.3 Business Plan
It is important to highlight here that a lot of Nigerian businessmen and entrepreneurs are denied access to strategic funds locally and internationally simply because they are not able to present professionally prepared Business Plans that can be used to assess the ability of the planned business to repay the loan. This is a very important aspect and it is my advice that prospective investors should never approach a lending bank without a proper business plan in place. There are consultants and planners who can prepare these plans professionally and it is better they are used. It is also imperative to note that a professionally prepared plan also helps the entrepreneur to better understand the business and challenges that might come up during its operations. It gives an insight to projected profit and loss over a period of time. It also identifies and puts in place an exit strategy.
8.0 INDUSTRIALISATION POLICY OF OSUN STATE
The industrialization policy of the Osun State government is promotional and participatory and includes the following:
(i) Government is ready to enter into partnership with private individuals or organizations, local or foreign, including the Federal Government in the establishment of viable industries by taking a maximum of 20% of the equity shares of such companies
(ii) Government will ensure that land is made available for any viable companies to be established possibly, through public acquisition, the land so acquired will form part of the equity contribution of Government
(iii) Viable industrial estates will be provided at the state level while the Local Governments will be provided with industrial parks
(iv) Tax holidays in the areas where the State Government has control will be given after due negotiation with would be investors; the industrialization of the state should be private sector driven; micro credits under the Small-Scale Industries Credit Scheme, Industrial Development Fund Scheme etc. will be given to viable would-be investors after an approved feasibility study
(v) A comprehensive survey of industrial establishments in Osun State covering both manufacturing and non-manufacturing ones will be undertaken
(vi) Survey of mineral resources and the production of a mineral resource map will be undertaken with a view to guiding would be industrialists
(vii) The Local Government Industrial Contribution (Esusu) will be vigorously pursued
(viii) The utilization of the public private partnership (PPP) arrangement in the exploitation of mineral deposits in the State will be explored.
The state government, in pursuance of the goal of poverty eradication and employment generation, will deliberately encourage and promote the establishment of MSMEs. MSMEs will receive the right focus in the industrial policy of the government. MSMEs will be developed around the available and right resources and be given necessary support. Government policy will encourage the MSMEs sector to be thoroughly structured and organized and be made to benefit maximally from the incentives and promotional activities of the State Government. The MSMEs naturally embrace labour-intensive technologies that generate more employment.
9.0 CONCLUSION
My fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, my romance with the Industrialisation of Ijesaland started when I was the President of the Ijesa Students Union (FISU) of the University of Lagos in the eighties and I had the priviledge of leading my executive on a courtesy visit to Kabiyesi, Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran. He had then requested us all to impress it on all Ijesa sons and daughters to come home and industrialise Ijesaland in order to create employment and stimulate development.
I thank the Almighty God and my colleagues in the Ijesa People in Diaspora Organisation for giving me the opportunity of this platform to present my thoughts on this issue. I consider industrialisation most important if we, the Ijesas, are to continue our dominance in our leadership role as it concerns trade and commerce in Osun State in particular and in Yorubaland in general.
In my own opinion, this exercise would have been a waste if we do not set up an agenda and date now for the organisation of an economic forum on the Industrialisation of Ijesaland to be held in Ilesa as soon as possible. Such a forum should be such that will attract Ijesa sons and daughters as well as our friends and business partners worldwide. We will then provide them with the list of opportunities and incentives. It is when we agree on this that we would have jump-started the process of restoring Ijesaland to its pride of place.
Once again, thank you.
Obokun a gbe a o.
Akereoko dele o.
Where Were You When Ikeji Ile Ijesa Began To Degenerate?
Dear Indigenes!
Fellow Indigene of this Great Community (Ikeji Ile Ijesa),
I have now come to discovered and agreed that we are the only
one that can build Ikeji Ile Ijesa. So, we have to join hands together and participate in the building of Ikeji Ile Ijesa by doing what we know best in moving our Jerusalem (Ikeji Ile Ijesa) forward so that history will not pose an unable to answered question to us.
I have now come to discovered and agreed that we are the only
one that can build Ikeji Ile Ijesa. So, we have to join hands together and participate in the building of Ikeji Ile Ijesa by doing what we know best in moving our Jerusalem (Ikeji Ile Ijesa) forward so that history will not pose an unable to answered question to us.
If you are a famous young writer, and you do not write about the quandary of Ikeji Ile Ijesa Indigenes, history will ask: Where were you, and what did you do when Ikeji Ile Ijesa began to degenerate?
If you are a prolific young journalist, and you say nothing about corrupt politicians who shares the money for the development of Ikeji Ile Ijesa, posterity will ask: Where were you and what did you do when Ikeji Ile Ijesa began to degenerate?
If you are a flourishing young entrepreneur, and you do not contribute to the improvement of the lives of the destitute in Ikeji Ile Ijesa, future generations will ask: Where were you, and what did you do when Ikeji Ile Ijesa began to degenerate?
If you are a singer, and you do not sing in defence of the downtrodden in Ikeji Ile Ijesa, history will also pose a question to you: Where were you and what did you do when Ikeji Ile Ijesa began to degenerate?
If you are a pastor that refuses to seek the face God for the betterment of Ikeji Ile Ijesa, instead, you keep praying for your self-interest (remember that the ‘betterment of Jerusalem is the betterment of the Jews’), posterity will ask: Where were you and what did you do when Ikeji Ile Ijesa began to deteriorate?
If you are a teacher that teaches the student formal education but you forget to teach them morals, future generations will ask: Where were you and what did you do when Ikeji Ile Ijesa began to degenerate?
If you a Councillor that the people voted for, with the aim of developing the community (because they believed in you, your ability and capability that you will deliver to the downtrodden) but you got there and served your pocket, history will also pose a question to you: Where were you and what did you do when Ikeji Ile Ijesa began to disintegrate?
It does not matter what kind of work you do, there is a role you can/must play to stop the perversion of our Jerusalem (Ikeji Ile Ijesa). Your success will mean nothing if it is not connected with the general advancement of Ikeji Ile Ijesa. Remember a quote that says “A man is not remembered for what he possessed on earth but he’s remembered for his contribution to the Development and Enlargement of his Nation/Community and his Kindred”; our own Community is Ikeji Ile Ijesa and our Kindred are the people in Ikeji Ile Ijesa.
Frantz Fanon said something in ((Wretched of the Earth)) one of his books I read:
I quote; ‘…We who are citizens of the under-developed countries, we aught to seek every occasion for contacts with the rural masses; we aught never to lose contact with the people [who have] battled for [their] independence and for the concrete betterment of [their] existence.’
Extracting my point out of the quote;
‘…We the natives/indigenes of Ikeji Ile Ijesa, we aught to think on how to better the lives of other indigenes (be it morally or financially), we aught to think on how to contribute to the development of Ikeji Ile Ijesa, we aught to ponder what we can do to make Ikeji Ile Ijesa Great.’ Ask yourself now, How and When will I respond to Frantz Fanon’s call?
If you do not ask yourself this soul-searching question, you might find yourself unable to respond when future generations ask: Where were you and what did you do when Ikeji Ile Ijesa began to degenerate?
Who amongst you does not blame on the government for not developing Nigeria without remembering the word of John Fitzgerald Kennedy that says “Let us not ask what our country should do for us, rather let us ask what we shall do for our country” and this way, I think that we will be on the right path to building a greater nation. It is not about how late we start, it is all about starting first that defines our goal, motive, mission and vision to building a great nation “Nigeria”. (It is not how far, but it is how well)? Remember that ‘when you point an accusing finger at someone, the remaining four (4) points to you.’ Please, don’t get me wrong here, It is good to Criticize a Government that is not working, but, as you criticize, try to ask yourself this question ‘what has been my contribution to the development of my Community?’ The Government can’t provide all our needs. So, let us ask ourselves what we can do for Ikeji Ile Ijesa to make her Great. It is not about how late we start, it is all about starting first that defines our goal, motive, mission and vision to building a great Ikeji Ile Ijesa.
I see no person better than You & I to rescue our town from ignorance (which is poverty, poverty of idea) on the side of Ikeji Ile Ijesa based youths. I see no other group of young people better than You & I to lead Ikeji Ile Ijesa to the Path of Greatness. I also think You & I have an immediate responsibility to halt Ikeji Ile Ijesa’s slide into hopelessness. But when You & I do it, keep in mind that future generations will still ask: Where were you and what did you do when Ikeji Ile Ijesa began to degenerate? I guess by then, we will be able to give an answer to the question.
Where were you, and what did you do when Ikeji Ile Ijesa began to degenerate? Will you be able to give an answer to this question when future generations ask you?
May Peace Be With You All (Amen)!
Together We Can Build Ikeji Ile Ijesa!
God Bless Ikeji Ile Ijesa!!
God Bless You All!!!
© Oluwatomilola K. Boyinde.
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