The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II has reminded the government that the much talked year 2020 for the attainment of vision which dominated the air 20 years ago is now here and asked: “what have we achieved.”Oba Adeyeye Enitan said: “we are all aware of vision 2020 that was launched in the mid 90s. We all felt 2020 was long but ladies and gentlemen, we are now in 2020 and it will soon be over: what have we achieved in the last 20 years we have been talking about the same problem.”
The Ooni, who spoke today, February 20 at the Joint National Conference of Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Future Assured Initiative on Repositioning the Muslim Family for National Development
stressed that there is a problem in the country “and we should face it. Enough of us talking and talking. we should all join hands to walk the talk.
“The problem of Almajiri is not just a problem of a particular section of this country, is a problem of each and everyone of us.
“Like the Emir of Kano said, we shouldn’t blame them, we should blame those that brought them to this world, it is very important we look at other ways and means of how to better the lot of their lives.”
He recalled that in 2010 during the campaign which he was privileged to be part of, “we were welcome by a mammoth crowd but at the end of it, Mr. President asked us what we saw on their faces, we answered joy, happiness, hope but he said no. He said he saw on their faces was that immediate solution has come for them.
“So I am not surprised for this initiative of the First Lady talking about finding solution to this our problem and Mr. President insistence on being part of it because this has been his passion for a very long time right back to 2010.
“Enough of us talking, deliberating on it, it is now time to talk solutions.
“Few solutions I will proffer one: I am happy the Senate President is here, we need to promulgate laws will force fathers to be very responsible for their children.
“We can even link it to BVN, today everything is digitalised, we have to link children to those irresponsible fathers, producing children that are becoming menace to the society.
“It is time they take responsibility for their actions, if you cannot confiscate their assets, confiscate their bank accounts, make life miserable for them, make life unpalatable for them so that they will be very serious about take issue of birth control seriously.
“Secondly, in our religious centers, it is good to revere God but we have to look at things differently. Nigeria has a peculiar problem and requires peculiar solution. I suggest we have economic initiatives that our people can engage in after prayers that will provide solutions to the problems. If you pray alone without anything to back it up, it is tantamount to destroying a particular community. “It is not only about prayer but about what value you are providing.
“Thirdly, thank God for diversification. For the oil that has been discovered in the north, compel those player in that field that you will take some from their hand to develop those assets, so that you will spread development in the north. It is not all about roads, rails, we have to support education.
“Most of those sympathetic to Boko Haram probably think they are doing business, they may not really know what they are doing but we should continue to give them that exposure, that orientation and let them know they have a very important part to play in nation building.”
