Former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi and former lawmaker of Ogun State, Wale Oshun, among others, yesterday, said that the proposed South-West Development Commission (SWDC) should have a strategic focus on regional integration and development that must be completely devoid of politics if it must meet the expected purpose.

They spoke during the 60th birthday anniversary of Fayemi, which was organised by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria Commission (DAWN) to commemorate the role played by the former Ekiti State governor in the formation of the Southwest regional integration agenda in 2011.

According to Oshun, “The commission needs more strategic focus and planning like we had in the Old Western Region under the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. It also needs to partner more with academicians who will drive its agenda intellectually and must be totally devoid of politics if possible. The issue of rail, transportation, health and education, as well as power, should be given top priority on regional integration if possible.”

Fayemi, on his part, enjoined the media to be more strategic in reporting the activities of the commission by the time it finally takes up.

He noted that gone are the days when the GDP of Nigeria was higher than that of China in 1979, and in 1959, the GDP of Western Nigeria was the same as that of most of the Western world but today it was a sad story of development.

He said with the coming of the regional commission, the South-West could kick-start and reintroduce similar development it witnessed under the regional government of the First Republic.

A human rights activist and pro-democracy, Gbenga Adewusi, tasked DAWN to live up to expectations in playing strategic thinking and partnership for the commission.