The Annual National Congress of Okun Development Association (ODA), a Sociocultural Group of Yoruba speaking people of Kogi State holds between 8th to 9th of March 2024 at Egbe in Yagba West Local Government Area.
According to a statement by Emmanuel Ojo Olorunfemi, the National Publicity Secretary 1 of ODA, Okun sons and daughters from all walks of life are expected at the Congress which will also produce new leadership for the Association.
The Congress will be held at Aishat Hotel Egbe in Yagba West Local Government Area.
He states that “this year’s Annual National Congress is unprecedented in planning and we expect a flawless execution of the plan. It promises to be a memorable carnival-like event. If you miss this year’s congress you would wish you did not when you begin to get a feedback on it.”
“Let me make a clarification here. The annual congress belongs to the owners of the Association. All Okun sons and daughters own the Association and so are encouraged to attend the Congress as participants. Participants at the AGM are expected to engage in a robust conversation around issues that are of importance and interest to Okunland. Through such engagement, the AGM should be able to develop an action agenda for the next year’s activities of the association or for the new President-General and his team.
“It is after all of this settled that election can come up. It is at that point and for that purpose that only delegates, preselected by their various constituencies, and properly accredited, shall be eligible to vote when it is time for election of officers of the Association. For the purpose of the election, the ODA Electoral Committee has already been inaugurated and they are working tirelessly to ensure a transparent, free, fair, credible, and generally acceptable election.
“The Congress should provide us an opportunity, as the outgoing National Executive Council members, to give account of our stewardship over the past six years. We would highlight our modest achievements and present the opportunities we could not take advantage of because of some limitations. We would not want the incoming National Executive Council members to experience the same limitations. We therefore would expect participants at the congress to agree strategies to wipe off these limitations.
“The Congress would be preceded by the last National Executive Council meeting of the outgoing NEC a day before the congress.
“The President-General hopes to use the meeting to celebrate his colleagues for their support and contribution to our successes over the six years. We would review our work together as a team and recall some unforgettable moments that should make us laugh at ourselves. We would also be dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s in readiness for the following day which is the D-Day.
“We plan to commence the NEC meeting day with a courtesy visit to our Royal Father, the Elegbe of Egbe, and other Royal Fathers in attendance for their Royal Blessings.
“Interestingly, this would be the first time that the good people of Yagba West LG, and particularly the Egbe people, who are very reputed for their unrivaled communal and hospitable disposition, will be hosting the congress. We are already seeing signs that the people are determined to break and set records on hosting events anywhere around in recent memory. They truly want to showcase those attributes that make them stand out.
“You just cannot afford to miss this year’s ODA Annual National Congress. If you do, you might have to wait for a long time before you would witness anything like it.
