At Ode-Erinje, it is new dawn in community development

More than ever before, it is becoming imperative for members of a community to work together for the purpose of enhancing the living standards of their people.

The practice by which people, who live together, share the same interest, identity, heritage or culture, usually initiate collective efforts to address the challenges oppressing them may never go away, especially as there may not be end to what are needed to make life more comfortable and meaningful for residents of their domain. It is customary to expect the government to initiate and implement projects and programmes in a community, but where this is not happening as much as it is expected, communities themselves, through associations, mobilise their people for self-help efforts to put in place some of the things they desire for better living standards for the residents.

It is on this note that what is happening in Ode-Erinje in Okitipupa Local Council of Ondo State is not only worthy of emulation, but also communicates the fact that sometimes people will need to take their destiny in their hands.

At the recent installation of a new leadership team, headed by Barrister Jide Aderehinwo, to steer the affairs of the Erinje Community Development Association (ECDA), it was learnt that over the decades, the community had benefited immensely from projects and programmes initiated and implemented by the people themselves.

It was commendable scorecard when, at the event coordinated by the new Orungberuwa of Erinje, Oba Oladele Fredrick Akinmoye, the outgoing chairman of ECDA, Mr. Jones Lurogho took the gathering of Erinje leaders as well as the youths through the history of community development projects implemented by the ECDA, listing the achievements of each team that had steered the affairs of the association in the past.

Intermittent applaud from the crowd that gathered for the event held at the expansive Town Hall confirmed the facts of the valedictory speech of Lurogho, who was installed chairman of the ECDA by the late Orungberuwa of Erinje, Oba Apata Akinlalu in 2008.

Lurogho was full of praises for some eminent indigenes, including Dr. Opeoluwa Ayadi, Barrister Aderehinwo; pro-democracy and human rights activist, Comrade Olufemi Aduwo Akinbule, Solomon Bitire as well as a former senator that represented Ondo South District, Senator Tofowomo for their financial and moral support for projects implemented for the development of the town.

Lurogho listed the building of the town hall, perimeter fencing of the Erinje Grammar School to prevent encroachment on the land, spending on the police station, expansion of the community health centre, widening and grading of the Erinje-Ikoya road and engagement in peace missions within the town as part of the achievements of the ECDA in recent time. He admonished Oba Akinmoye to come up with a constitution for the ECDA that will, among others, specify the number of year that each team will be in the saddle in the association as a way of democratising the leadership process. The community leaders took turn to express hope in the Aderehinwo team to further transform Ode-Erinje.

Other dignitaries at the well attended event include High Chief Anthony Aderehinwo, the Ojan of Erinje; Chief Samuel Olasemojo, the Gbogunron of Erinje; Dr.OpeoluwaAyadi, Mr Emmanuel Kuye, Mr Johnson Kuye, and Primate Igbayemi Aderehinwo.

In his remarks, Dr. Ayadi, who was installed as the chairman of the Board of Trustees, promised that the new team would uphold the values and principles for which the Erinje community is popularly known. The new President of ECDA, Aderehinwo assured the gathering that his team would do its best to move the community forward. He enjoined the people, home and abroad, to shun whatever that will not work for the progress of the town. Declaring that every indigene that has attained the age of 18 years automatically becomes a member of ECDA, the retired assistant registrar in the Federal High Court of Nigeria, charged the people to brace for more contribution to the development of Erinje and to get themselves closer to the community to be able to do so. Aderehinwo called for fresh ideas on how to make the town greater as he inaugurated the new Board of Trustees.

Oba Akinmoye, who lauded all the new trustees, said the ECDA would be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). The monarch, who is a permanent member of the ECDA, alongside former heads of the association, said a constitution would be put in place for the ECDA for better management. He expressed high hope in the ability of the new team to deliver on its mandate.