West, including Edo, on the March again: plans a Regional Development Commission

by emotan.wordpress.com

A South-west Regional Development Commission (SWERDCO) will be born according to plans by the ACN in what would be a rebirth of the old Western Region according to a news report.  This will cover the old Western Region which later became LOOBO states – Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Bendel and Oyo States of the UPN-era and now Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Edo, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti States – all ACN except Ondo that is as progressive as the others.

While it is proposed to be along the Action Group-era Odua founded under the leadership of late Chief Awolowo as Western Nigeria Development Corporation (WNDC) that ushered in Cocoa House, Nigeria Hotels of which Ikeja Hotels and the Premier Hotels are flag ships, the Commission would not be dabbling into such investments.  It would concentrate on infrastructural development and agriculture and agro-allied industries.

This is a step in the right direction.

Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko is not only a progressive but the grouping must ensure it does everything possible not to go in the exclusionary direction that would lead to the grouping not reaching its full potential but in possible failure.  Ondo State indigenes are more than pleased with Dr. Mimiko’s administration because of the way it is taking development to every corner of the state.  Before the elections, I did mention the fact that most in my ancestral family – like most in the town – at Ondo State would vote Labor in most elections while I intended to vote Buhari for president; at Osun where I registered, however, my support naturally was the Action Congress.

It is therefore important that leaders of the Action Congress put this in mind that there should not and cannot be any division between the two parties.  Cooperation should not call for annihilation.  Who knows what is in Nigeria’s political future with its ever-volatile and changeable tendencies?  We are all one and a winner-takes-all attitude needs re-thinking.  Yorubas and Edos all want the same thing: progress and growth and economic development and these leaders must find ways of taking us to these goals without casting anybody aside.