Scores of youths from Orile Ilawo, Alagbagba and its environs in the Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State on Wednesday, stormed the palace of the Ogun monarch and the Oba-elect of the town, His Royal Highness, Oba (Professor) Olusegun Alexander Macgregor in solidarity with his emergence as the next Olu of Orile Ilawo.
Led by their leader, Fatai Balogun and Muyideen Omotosho, who are the Olori Odo of Ilawo town and Alagbagba respectively, the enthusiastic youths ceaselessly chantted "Kabiyesi o; Kabiyesi o; Kabiyesi o" in praises of Macgregor and to demonstrate his acceptance of his personality and emergence.
The visiting youths of the ancient Egba settlement, which parades about 63 communities, with 143 other villages under its authority, were however, received in audience by the Oba-elect, Macgregor, who himself, could not hide his joy about the visit, but maintained a persistent smiling nods throughout the duration of listening to the youths addresses and complaints.
Speaking at the visit, which also had in attendance, the Osi of Ilawo town, High Chief ****, Balogun disclosed that the Ilawo youths had suffered untold hardship in the hands of elders and leaders of the town during the interregnum when the Ilawo stool was vacant.
He disclosed that several community landed properties that were part of the collective patrimony of Ilawo descendants have been sold out for personal aggrandizement even to Chinese and others, which he said included farming space that served as means of livelihood for the youths and other indigenes.
The youths further alleged that the atrocities committed by those they described as "living without conscience elders", would even go to the extent of using charms and other voodoos to harm whichever youth that challenged their actions, stressing that those unpatriotic actions were actually carried out between the period when the immediate past traditional ruler of the town, Oba Adedapo Aina transited.
Balogun, who disclosed that the youths were already fed up with the situation and we're posed for communal uprising, however, pleaded with MacGregor to assist them correcting the injustices which he said almost chase some of them out of existence.
The duo of Balogun and Omotosho further appealed to the Oba-elect to assist them at rewriting the story of Orile Ilawo town for better and future prosperity.
Responding to the youths' lamentations, Oba-elect Macgregor solicited for more cooperation from the youths towards ensuring that their plights are properly addressed in manners that do not jeopardize the progress of Orile Ilawo town and all the adjourning communities and villages.
Macgregor, who emphasized that no community world over, can achieve any meaningful any progress without empowering its youths for self sufficiency, promised that he would not renege in his efforts at attracting meaningful developmental projects to the town, which he explained that he has been doing for the past 35 years in Canada and India among other developed countries where he is still doing businesses.
Speaking against the backdrop of community elders accused of selling family and other township landed properties for personal aggrandizement in Ilawo town, MacGregor emphasized that establishment of viable and enduring business ventures remains the proven panacea for taking youths off criminal activities and other social vices that are inimical to societal developments.
Macgregor also emphasized that wealthy individual in the Nigerian society, particularly in Ogun State will be securing future peace of minds for themselves if they can see youths empowerment as necessary investment in their respective areas.
While charging them to abstain from any conspiracy that can jeopardize the progress of Ilawo town, MacGregor, who admonished the agitated youths to be at peace with everyone in the community, further solicited the cooperation of the Ilawo youths towards ensuring that peace reign supreme in the community.
The Catalyst Cable
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