Igala summit: Stakeholders pledge to tackle underdevelopment, socio- economic vices.

The stakeholders at the Igala Cultural Development Association, ICDA Stakeholders summit have pledge to tackle underdevelopment and Socio-Economic vices that have bedeviled the region.

This was the aggregation of opinions by the discussants at the maiden Igala  Stakeholders Summit held on Saturday at the conference room of the Federal Polytechnic Idah, headquarters of Idah Local Government Area of Kogi state.

The Summit with the theme: Consensus Building,. the right path to achieving Unity for a greater Igala Kingdom, drew notable Igala sons and daughters, affiliate Associations, emphasised that the pathway for the restoration of the lost glory of the kingdom is to forge unity, love and avowed commitment to Igala ideals in order to unlock potentials for the general benefits of the people

The purpose of the summit according to the organisers was to aggregate ideas on how to tackle the hydra headed worsening poverty, escalated insecurity, declining education standards, inadequate Infrastructures, cultural erosion; political marginalisation and youth unemployment.

The Summit however noted that  the way out to remedy the palpable challenges that stares the kingdom in the face is for the elites to massively deploy their brains, resources, networks, voices and ideas and  expertise to the Igala cause.

To Jonathan Jibrin, Media and Publicity Committee chairman, noted that the summit was not another gathering, but a watershed and a chance to reclaim the Igala pride, rechart the course and reawaken the collective consciousness of the people.

He called on professionals in Medicine, law, engineering, ICT, academia; public and civil servants and indeed every one that has something doing to fuse their experience and insight to shape future direction of the kingdom.

In his presentation, the President of Okomu Igala, Major General, A.A Ataguba Rtd, promise to do everything possible to work in synergy with the ICDA, stressing that hitherto working at cross purpose has robbed the people the benefit of collective aspiration.

He was enthusiastic at the unity that the summit has brought to the fold and challenge everyone to build consensus as the only way for greater Igala Kingdom.

He added that all Igala organisations should come together strategically and think thoroughly to have it done together with the parent body, Igala cultural Development Association.

He stressed that to do together is more profitable and result oriented than for individual organisation doing it in its way , soliciting for the common interests of Igala land.

He charged Igala Sons and daughters both home and in the diaspora to think of what they can offer for the community rather than what the community will do for them.

The retired Army General stated further that the government is limited in her responsibility to the people, hence , the people who have been blessed in one way or the other to lend helping hands to their communities, saying,  one will be remembered for his imprint in the community.

In his submission, a former Attorney General of kogi state,  NDLEA Commander and Director of EFCC, Bar. Ben Ikani,  described the gathering as unprecedented that has usher in palpable unity that confirmed the seriousness of the people transcending hope for the kingdom .

He lamented at the attitude of the Young generation of Igala children abandoning education, hard work and integrity for quick money syndrome through yahoo , Yahoo fraudulent practices, saying , if this is not curb frontally, the Igala Kingdom may be doomed.

According to him” If we don’t take time, culture will be strategy for breakfast, meaning there is some germane challenges that is very palpable in the land. The issue of insecurity and criminality. Our young ones are now into Yahoo and Yahoo plus, drugs addiction and trafficking.

He informed that in his 35 years of public service that spanned from the NDLEA to EFCC , he has prosecuted over 500 cases without Igala citizens featuring in the pack, but, was surprised that many Igala children are now featuring prominently in land racketeering and financial and Cyber crimes, urging the people to remedy the situation, the future of the Young ones will be in jeopardy

While warning the people to stay off of toxic politics across the kingdom, and to remain apolitical while engaging in politics, lamenting the fluidity in which people kills in the name of politics, called for aggressive sensitisation of the people.

In the same token, the Rector of Kogi state Polytechnic, Professor Usman Salisu Ogbo challenge the people to form  an agenda that will deal with morbid challenges of insecurity, poverty, unemployment and lack of social economic Infrastructures across the Igala land  rather than forming an Agenda for individual aspiration.

He commended the new ICDA headed Commodore Ahmed Abdullahi Rtd, who has revolutionize and reinvigorated the apex organisation and called for massive support to enable him successfully deliver the mandate.

Ogbo charged Elites to bring some of their investments home as that is the only option to reduce poverty, insecurity and unemployment that have become a clog in the wheel of development of the Kingdom.