Okun (Kabba) People Vote To Join South West

The Okun Yoruba people in Kogi State have resolved to press for the re-adjustment of their political boundary at the National Conference which opens in Abuja on Monday to enable them join their kith and kin in the South-west geo-political zone.

They have also reaffirmed their Yoruba culture, values and territory which, according to them were congruent with the South-west "without any natural or ecological barrier."

This was contained in a 16-point communiqué issued yesterday in Kabba, Kogi State, at a special conference of their umbrella socio-cultural organisation, Okun Development Association.

The conference presided over by former Health Minister, Professor Eyitayo Lambo, was convened to articulate the position the Okun people will canvass at the National Conference opening in Abuja on Monday.

In the communiqué read by a member of the Okun Think Tank, Mr. Tunde Ipinmisho, the Okun people and their Oworo compatriots agreed to demand that their territory be carved out as a new state in the South-west zone, based on their economic potentials and political marginalization over the 100 years of Nigeria's existence as a nation.

The conference further resolved that in pursuing their demand for state creation, they would not object to cooperation and/or relationship with any group of people who share similar aspirations and willingness to realign with their core interest and demand.

It also demanded the creation of more local government areas in the Okun and Oworo territories to enhance effective participatory democracy and good governance.
The Okun people are in Yagba West, Yagba East, Mopamuro, Ijumu and Kabba/Bunu Local Government Areas of Kogi State while the Oworo form half of the population of Lokoja Local Government Area.

The communiqué expressed the confidence of the Okun in their people who have been nominated to participate at the National Conference regardless of the platform through which such nominations were obtained.

Expressing their support for and commitment to the principle of federalism, the communiqué called the restructuring of Nigeria into six regions and a federal centre with both tiers of government working as coordinate rather than subordinate and super-ordinate structures and "in accordance with their separate constitutions."

Each region, they said, should consist of agreed number of states with each state divided into local government areas while each local government area is further broken into districts and development areas.

The conference also called for an amendment to the constitution to establish the local government as an autonomous fourth tier of government in the country and the second tier in the states in the new regions.

To that end, it advocated the scrapping of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs as well as the Local Government Service Commission in the states and their administrative functions transferred to the local governments.

The conference suggested that provision be made in the constitution to enforce the rotation of the seat of executive power among the component parts of the federal, regional, state and local government areas to guard against domination by any group of persons or interests.

It also called for a new revenue sharing formula that gives 20 percent of the national consolidated revenue to derivation, FederalGovernment, 25 percent; federating units/regions, 30 percent; 20 percent to local governments and other funds, five percent.

The communiqué canvassed for a return of the country to the parliamentary model of government, "which will be more cost effective, accountable and efficient in service delivery" as against the current presidential system which it considered vulnerable to endemic corruption, inefficiency, party indiscipline, development conservatism, poor accountability and impunity.

The conference was attended by prominent Okun and Oworo sons and daughters including, President, Okun Development Association, Ambassador Babatunde Fadumiyo, former General Officer Commanding, 3rd Armoured Division, Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen J. O. S. Oshanupin, Obaro of Kabba, Oba Michael Olobayo, Olujumu of Ijumu, Oba Jerome Sumanu, Olubunu of Bunu, Oba Joseph Ikusemoro, Agbana of Isanlu, Oba Aaron Ikuborije, former Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Prince Sola Akanmode, former Member of the House of Representative, Chief Dino Melaye and the Anglican Bishop of Kabba, The Right Reverend S. K. Akobe.