ILAJE holds Development Summit November 23

The who-is-who in Ilaje land and Ondo State are gathering in Akure, the Ondo State Capital, on November 23, for the inaugural Ilaje Development Summit.

The Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu SAN is the Special Guest of Honour and keynote Speaker at the summit.

The summit is organized by Ilaje Development Summit Group, IDSG, made of the intelligentsia of Ilaje race with membership spread across different countries of the world and in different walks of life.

According to the Executive Administrator of IDSG, Rev. Sola Adebawo, the summit is a "citizen-led initiative to address the various development challenges confronting Ilaje as a people, and to recommend well-articulated strategic solutions and properly structured roadmap for the sustainable development of Ilaje land, in support of the efforts of government and in collaboration with other relevant stakeholders".

The Chairman of the IDSG Board of Trustee, Asiwaju Yemi Ogunyomi, former Clerk of the National Assembly, says "it's time for Ilaje as a people to take the lead in driving our own development as we cannot use another man's hands to scratch our backs". He therefore calls on all well-meaning Ilaje sons and daughters from all spheres of life to bring their knowledge and resources into developing Ilaje land.

High point of the summit is the presentation of the ILAJE Regional Development Plan, which will spell out a roadmap for developing the Ilaje communities in a strategic way.

The IDSG concept is a novel approach to community development based on participation and partnership

Explaining the concept, Deputy Executive Administrator of IDSG, *Rev. Ola Judah Akinyomi* says "the most effective way for any community to develop is to ensure its citizens participate and take ownership of the process of development, while collaborating with every key stakeholder in the development process".

The activities culminating in this global Ilaje Development Summit began twelve months ago, with the formation of 8 Strategic Committees (StratComs) focused on key development sectors, such as: planning and infrastructure, education, health, economy and investment, leadership and governance, women/youth and gender mainstreaming, religion/culture and social renaissance and stakeholder engagement.

The StratComs; made up of professionals, academics, development experts, industrialists, politicians, business men/women etc; had a terms of reference to determine current state in each sector, determine desired state and evolve roadmaps for moving from current to desired states in short, medium and long terms. The works were largely based on research using both primary and secondary data.

Rev. Adebawo says "at IDSG, we want to be part of the solution rather than sit back to criticize. We want to work with government at every level, development agencies and every other relevant stakeholders to help change the fortune of our people in the long term". He added "This is generational thinking... we are thinking and planing for generations yet unborn. And we believe that as opposed to piecemeal interventions and knee-jerk reactions, this approach will ensure Ilaje becomes great again!

The event will also feature a gala/award dinner where deserving persons would receive recognition for various contributions to the development of Ilaje land.

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