Seeks cooperation among stakeholders to allow Yewa produce next Ogun governor
Minister of State for Environment, Dr Iziaq Kunle Salako, has said that strong synergy and alliance will make the country and Yewaland progress.
Salako said this in Lagos during the Yewaland Development Forum (YDF) eighth distinguished lecture series, “Yewas Talk” and investiture of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (Yayi) as grand patron of the forum.
The event, with the theme, “Yewaland: Harnessing our potential and opportunities towards 2027 and beyond,” had various leaders in Yewaland, including royal fathers, former and current commissioners, lawmakers, political leaders, among others, in attendance.
According to the minister, when there is strong synergy and alliance among Yewa stakeholders, they will produce the next Ogun governor.
Salako, who was the guest speaker, said: “When we truly synergise we can all progress. 2027 is the year for Ogun West to reset and be set free. Division and confusion can end our agenda. If we work together, there is nothing we really cannot achieve.”
On why 2027 was significant, he said by then, Ogun would have crossed the golden age of 50 by a year and the phrase ‘Yewa people’ would be approaching 40 years.
He, therefore, called on stakeholders to work and collaborate to speak for Yewa in 2027.
Salako also called on leaders to begin to build social systems and organise the people towards achieving the Yewa Project in 2027.
He said that the sub-ethnic group had not been strategic in some of the past elections.
“Elections cannot be won based on sentiments and bravado alone,” he stated.
Chairman of the event, Senator Felix Kola Bajomo, urged the people not to be careless as 2027 is a transitional period.
He said: “We tried before, but there were some hindrances. We are looking for someone who will take us to the Promised Land.”
“We are the next in turn. We are the ones to do it. We will do the first term, and we will do the second term.
“We shall achieve our goal; we can do it,” Bajomo said.
In his acceptance speech, Adeola pledged to always support and participate in the forum’s development initiatives for Yewaland.
He said: “I suspect that the major considerations for this honour may be in recognition of my contributions to the development of Yewaland in both human and infrastructure aspects, as well as contribution to Ogun State and national development over the years.
“For over a decade now, I have made it one of my passions to strive towards the liberation of my people in Yewaland from the shackles of total neglect and underdevelopment that is traceable to unjust marginalisation from political power at the state and federal levels.”
Earlier in his opening remarks, the President, YDF, Wasiu Fagbohun, called for partnership and cooperation with other prominent developmental organisations in Yewaland to jointly execute impactful programmes and projects that will have a direct positive impact on the people.
