The National President of Okun Development Initiative, (ODI), Deacon Henry Olusuyi says those who tried to frustrate the ongoing Okun Town Hall Meeting are few miscreants who are against a united Okun land.
Deacon Olusuyi told Newsmen at Iyara, headquarters of Ijumu Local Government Area during the Town Hall Meeting for the Local Government which was attended by stakeholders in the Area that activities of enemies of Okun will not distracted the group and they remain focused and resolute.
“We know them, they’re few miscreants, Okun are determined to take what belongs to them. In Okun land today there’s no unity, most people want us to stop this town hall meeting, they are selfish people who are just looking for their own means. They know that if the Governorship doesn’t come to Okun, they will be jobless, hence their decision to frustrate the all important meeting as their plans failed woefully.”
“One of the problems we have in Okun land is leadership problem, everybody wants to become Leader. In those days, we have few people that are leaders in Okun, Chief Bodunde, Chief Daniyan and Chief Awoniyi who can speak for us and things will work, now we don’t have that. Even if it is 10 people that will be our Leaders in Okun and talk to the Politicians and they will listen.”
He maintained that “Okun have decided to come together, Okun have decided to be united and we are United, Without Okun Governorship, Okun will not move forward. There are many Okun sons and daughters that can be Governor and would perform excellently. When they’re there, things will change, we want development, we want peace in our land.”
On the State of Roads and Infrastructure in Okun land, Deacon Olusuyi says “among the three ethnic groups in Kogi state, Okun is the most underdeveloped from Aiyetoro Gbede to Egbe, you can’t pass there twice in a week without being rushed to the hospital, I pass the road since we started the meeting and I cry every day”
“This is the time Okun should produce Governor, if it is through APC, let’s cooperate with Governor Yahaya Bello so that he will give us the Governorship ticket, if it is from PDP, APGA, Labour Party or any party, let Okun become the Governor because our son or daughter cannot be governor and our road will be as bad as this, be will go to the Federal Government and request for it to be fixed.”
According to the ODI President, the meeting was put together by Okun Patriots, a group of distinguished Okun sons and daughters both within and outside the country to promote unity and sensitize the people on the need for value reorientation towards attaining set goals.
He explained that the people must jettison vote buying, saying such act is a means of mortgaging their future and that of their children.
The ODI President added that the meeting was not anti Government as speculated in some quarters, adding that they will not relent in their support for Government to succeed.
“Today, some of our people cannot go to farms, kidnapping everywhere, by the grace of God, He will help us. We’re really supporting Government because the Government cannot do it alone.”
The town hall meeting with the theme: “Setting the Okun Agenda From the Grassroots” was held in Yagba West, Yagba East, Mopa/Amuro, Ijumu, Kabba-Bunu Local Governments and Oworo District.