What Dr. Yakub Ugwolawo Told ICDA on Economic Empowerment and Political Strategy

The President, Buhari Agriculture Revolution Network (BARN), Dr. Yakub Ugwolawo has charged the Igala Nation to think outside the box in the drive towards economic empowerment.

The Elder Statesman made this statement while addressing the monthly meeting of the Igala Cultural Development Association, ICDA, FCT Chapter.

He said, “You should focus on building the revenue generation of the Igala Nation as statistics available shows that the Igala Nation only generates between 10% and 20% of the entire Internally Generated Revenue of Kogi State, but we have the highest number of Applicants.”

“There is no value in human lives because poverty has already take over the land. We need to review the state of economy of the Igala Nation. ”

“Cultism and gruesome killing and maiming of innocent lives now thrives in our land.”, he continued.

He said we should leverage our geographical location to greater economic achievement.

 “We should leverage our geographic location for the development of the Igala people. We don’t have any facility that turns raw material to finished products in Igala Land.”, Dr. Ugwolawo laments.

Dr. Ugwolawo while lamenting the state of the Igala Nation said that, “Are you thinking that there is still Igala voice in Nigeria? There is no Igala voice anymore. There is no Igala Governor, Igala Minister, Just recently we have a Permanent Secretary and we can’t blame it. We should be able to rekindle a system of economic empowerment.”

“You (ICDA) should form a think tank. At this point, I am suggesting that anything anybody say, don’t dismiss it, take it and store it.”

He also said that, “We have not integrate properly with other tribes in Nigeria. We should integrate with other tribes and people so that we can be exposed to the way of economic success.”

While talking about eligibility of membership and freedom of association.

He said, “We should register every igala sons and daughters in and outside of Nigeria, because by right they are entitled to be members of ICDA.”

“However, other people will go and register other association. You don’t have the right to stop them by the constitution. But if they come, you should also register them under the ICDA body because ICDA is the recognized umbrella body for the Igala Nation, just like the Afenifere is to the Yoruba, The Arewa Consultative Forum to the Hausa and the Ohaneze to the Igbo people.”

“We have the pre-requisite to mobilize our people. This message will also be propagated to other branches of ICDA so that togetrhter we can move the Igala Nation forward.”, he continued.

Comrade Yunusa Mohammed however added that for the Igala Nation to be prosperous and successful, we need to be more proactive in politics.