The Deputy Vice Chancellor of University of Jo’s, Plateau State, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN has advocated the introduction of Gbede District and Ijumu Local Government Agenda and provision of mass action towards the realization of the development plans.
Prof. Amupitan, a Professor of Law made the call in a Keynote Address titled “Gbede Development Initiatives: The Way Forward” at the maiden Gbede Day and Launching of N500 million for the building of the palace of Olugbede held over the weekend.
According to him, “Time is now for a Gbede Agenda and by implication, an Ijumu Agenda with a blueprint, timelines and strategic plans reviewed periodically that would transform Ijumu land and make the coming generation to be proud of what we are doing today. We have the required experts to set the ball rolling.”
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He tasked the Olugbede, other traditional rulers in the District and Gbede Development Union (GDU) to continue to forge unity and love among the Gbede people, which are necessary ingredients for peace and development.
Gbede Development Union must continue to work towards developing leaders with vision who can do what Mohammed Maktoum did for his people in Dubai and Leo Kuan Yew did for Singapore. We should seek out leaders with community interest.
Prof. Amupitan also emphasized the need to develop the agricultural sector by removing every challenge that will hinder farmers from going to their farms.
Develop the agricultural sector and help our people raise capital through local and international finance institutions for mechanised and large scale collaborative farming. We have not explored the advantage of having a School of Agriculture in Kabba. Cooperative societies can be formed and they should be involved in the Mass Housing scheme. The Local Government should be involved.
He advised adoption of Public Private Partnerships to harness the mineral resources and large scale farming.
“The Mineral resources in Gbede land should be mapped out and there could be collaboration with Foreign investors, Prof. Amupitan added.
The DVC maintained that for Gbede to be great, all and sundry must be compassionate, generous to one another and ensure that everyone is carried along in the scheme of things.
“Gbede land should be a semi-autonomous economy richer than Kogi State and able to impart the economy of Nigeria and be a force to reckon with in Africa.”
