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From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, has called on the indigenes of Yewaland to come back home and invest in order to accelerate the socio-economic development and growth of Ogun West.
The monarch made this call while speaking at the official commissioning of an ultra-modern amusement park and Yewa Frontier Radio station in Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Oba Olugbenle described the amusement park as a spectacular one that would deepen the recreational experience of the younger ones, just as the first radio station in the axis, Yewa Frontier Radio, 109.2 FM, would provide a sustainable platform for people of the senatorial district to tell their stories, thereby enhancing further growth and development of Yewaland as a whole.
He commended the founder of the park and radio station, Afisu Olabintan, describing him as a pride of Yewaland who is never keen about profit for establishing the noble projects in his hometown but always after the development of Yewaland and creation of employment for its teeming youth.
The traditional ruler urged the people of the area to always allow growth and development to be paramount in their hearts and to eschew any act that is capable of serving as a stumbling block to sustainable development being sited within the community.
In an interview with journalists, the United States of America-based Olabintan said he established the amusement park and radio station in the community as a show of reciprocation of the love his hometown, Yewaland, has given to him and for the prosperity of the people.
He, however, declared that he did not establish the station in order to play politics or to contest for any elective office.
“We are all made to make different things out of our lives. My plan was to be an engineer, to be an innovator. I am not cut out to be a politician. I’ve almost lived for 50 years in the US. I am satisfied. There is no intent to be a politician in my agenda.
“It is part of my grand plan to be here because of my engineering background. When I was given the opportunity, I was asked to do something for the community. When I came here years ago, I had a grand plan, and that plan is what we are witnessing here today,” he stated.
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Olabintan identified the lack of infrastructure as a major factor that has been hindering development in the country, especially in local communities in the state.
“On this, I am seeing improvement. What I’ve done in Ilaro, I’ve done two projects in Lekki before this. And that provides a source of funds. There is no intent for me to take profit. I’ve never profited from what I’ve done in Nigeria. There is never a need for it. There is an endless opportunity, and my return is the provision and the feeling of being fulfilled by giving back to my roots,” he said.
He lamented that Nigeria has been a one-source country and one that is not as rich as many tend to believe, adding that corruption is not only the problem of Nigeria but poverty.
“There is not enough source of revenue to feed Nigeria. When I left this country, I think Nigeria’s population was 57 million. Now, we are 200-something million. This source is not enough. It is not all about corruption. It is a lack of infrastructure. I left this country; Nigeria, China, and India were all third-world countries. Look at where they are now. They are all going upward. We are going downward. It is because our planning was poor. People didn’t have vision, and the Bible says, ‘Without vision, the people perish.’ That is what happened to Nigeria,” he submitted.
Earlier, the wife of the Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Mrs Temitope Adeola, commended Olabintan for establishing the projects, describing them as laudable and huge investments.
She, however, urged the people to use the projects for the betterment of their community.
“Let people hear our voice, let them hear our culture and let them hear what we believe in. We should change the narrative out there because most of the time, they think Yewaland is not doing anything, but we are doing a lot as a community. So, please, let’s use the radio station as a medium to communicate to the world, not only Africa, not only Nigeria, but to the world what Yewa can achieve as a community,” she stated.
Highlights of the commissioning include the taking of a ride in the motor-driven carousel by Oba Olugbenle, alongside other monarchs, the founder of the project, and other dignitaries present at the occasion.
