Isoko day In Lagos: IDU must Address This Bordering Issues Affecting Isoko Nation
Come November 5th, 2016, Isoko Development Union (IDU), Lagos chapter, would be holding the most prestigious cultural heritage in Africa. It is no longer news that Isoko nation is gradually gaining international recognition with rich cultural values.
For those that are working clockwise to see the success of this coming event in Lagos must be commended. Political marginalization was the ringtone of every average Isoko man living in Diaspora and Nigeria then, but as globalization embraces the region, many Isoko people are now waking up from their entrepreneurial and leadership slumber to contribute their quota to social and infrastructural development in the region.
My layman views on this coming event is not just displaying cultural values of the 19 clans that represent Isoko nation but to address pertinent issues to fast-track Isoko development in the coming years. No doubt, Isoko is blessed with highly placed sons and daughters in Nigeria and abroad, doing credibly well in their different professions. The body of this event lies on the paper presentation by either a guest lecturer or chairman of the occasion. There are some issues to be addressed in this event.
1. Entrepreneurial leadership: No region develops without embracing entrepreneurial skills. Over the years, many Isoko people lived on paid jobs after retirement; poverty sets in as a result of no future plan. That is; every Isoko man or woman should be ready to take risk in business and nothing more.
Small shop businesses cannot boast its economy than impoverishing the people. Only few Isoko people that went into hospitality businesses that know their onions still surviving the economic recession till now.
2 Financial Management Principle: History keeps repeating it that many that were successful in the time past lavishly wasted their resources on unproductive investments and wallowed in excruciating poverty ascribing it to demonic powers from the region.
3 Community leadership: Few years ago community leaders were elected based on commitment to community development but leaders should be elected on pedigree, exposure, integrity and knowledge-driven vision to fast-track development in Isoko nation.
4 Media: When it comes to grassroots to national publicity of regional cultural heritage, Isoko must wake up to embrace this new media to promote Isoko nation.
5 Entertainment: Isoko has talented musicians from highlife to reggae to hip hop dead or alive. Most of our highlife musicians died in poverty and nobody immortalized them till date. The likes of Edna Ogholi made Isoko proud in the 80s and 90s, Lates Okupa, Power too numerous to mention made significant inputs in the entertainment industry. In gospel, Isoko is number one in Nigeria, financial commitment to great talents are the major problem in Isoko.If King Sunny Ade,ordinary juju musician from Yoruba region can make it big, what stops wealthy people not to help their own musicians.
6 Investment: There is need for Isoko entrepreneurs to invest massively on manufacturing industries and agriculture in our soil to create massive employment for our teaming population. Urban-Rural drift must be embraced by our notable stakeholders in the region. Areas like extensive fish farming, tomatoes, groundnuts, cassava, yams, maize pepper, plantains, and fruits like mangoes, oranges, cashew, pawpaw and others. Rubber plantation, palm oil should be extensively cultivated.
7 Youth scholarship: Though many Isoko wealthy people have offered scholarships to many Isoko youths from primary to university education. No region grows faster without embracing education and digitalization.So, there is need to help our deprived Isoko youths to acquire basic education on earth.
8 Immortalization of Isoko Heroes: Our Isoko great minds are easily forgotten after demise. How many Isoko roads are named after these dead heroes from different professions like Prof Sada,S.M.O Oka,Chief James Otobo,Dr.Abel Ubeku,High Chief T.U.B.Egbuwoku,Barr Sir.Young Danel Igbrude,first Isoko male newspaper publisher, Moses Akpososo,first Isoko woman publisher, Patricia Akpavie and host of others.
9 Unity and love: The issue of unity and love must be preached among all clans in Isoko region. We must discard clan sentiments among us Isokos in Nigeria.
10 Constructive criticisms: The issue of pull-him-down syndrome must be seriously addressed in this event. We must all work for the progress of Isoko nation.
11 Political leadership: Thank God for the great move of our President-General of IDU,Chief Iduh Amadhe for formidable leadership to Isokoland with his team. A plus to President-General of Women wing of IDU, Ambassador Caroline Usikpedo Omoniye for bringing leadership innovation to the women in recent times.
12 Branding: We must brand Isoko nation in positive limelight and devoid of negative reports among ourselves.
13 Political leadership: To some extent, IDU has been holding Town hall meetings with our political representatives in various leadership positions in recent times. But, there should be more town hall meetings that include youths to deliberate on leadership progress of the region among our political leaders.
14 Legal Profession: Our Isoko lawyers should be united and pursue one common goal to savage Isoko nation and beyond.
15 Historical website: IDU should host a website that every Isoko indigene can log into and know the past and present events of the organization and how Isoko was created.IDU page group on facebok/Twitter/whatsApp should be managed by a vibrant internet guru.
16 Wrong Perception: That anybody that invests in the region cannot fulfill his or her destiny must stop. It is God that creates life and death, so we must project Isoko nation positively among other tribes in Nigeria and abroad.
Finally, the likes of Gen.Alexander Ogomudia(Rtd),Chief J.E Osikilo,High Chief J.O Ofo,Chief Paul Eriri,Chief Oke Akpojene,Senator Francis Okpozo,Chief John Araka,Chief Paul Omu,Felix Ogbaudu,Sentor Stella Omu, others must be commended for their various humanitarian services to promote Isoko interest and my personal commendation goes to Ambassador Immanuel Emoefe who gave out over 15 million naira relief materials to Isoko flood victims in 2012 and May 2,2016,he demonstrated another philanthropic gesture to Delta State health sector by given $50 million medical equipment estimated in Nigeria currency about over 600,000 million naira which Isoko nation has benefitted largely and presently managed by Barr Hon.Orezi Esievo,Isoko South Constituency 1 as the administrator.
Godday Odidi
Publisher Gabrio Voice Magazine
Lagos