From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja

A socio-cultural group, the Orokere-Amuro Welfare Association (OWA) in Orokere Amuro has appealed to Kogi State and Local Governments to rehabilitate the deteriorated roads and provision of modern healthcare facilities in the community.

The National President of OWA, Segun Peter, made the call during the 2024 Orokere Day celebration and Fund Raising ceremony, at Orokere-Amuro in Mopamuro Local Government Area of Kogi State.

Peter described Orokere Day as a special day reserved for the celebration of Orokere Amuro’s rich and alluring cultural heritage, tradition and unity.

According to him, the day presents an opportunity of enhanced cohesiveness, increased sense of community awareness among sons and daughters of Orokere Amuro, as well as providing bigger synergy required to embark on community self-help projects.

“Over the years, the proceeds of donations from the events have been judiciously used to solve myriads of community needs in terms of social infrastructure and others.

“Thus, one of the features of this year’s event is to raise N50,000,000 fund for the completion of the ongoing Orokere Amuro Town Hall project.

“The project, upon completion, will be of immense benefits to our community,” Peter said

He therefore urged the sons and daughters of the community to always remember home and collectively contribute their quota towards addressing the pressing needs of the community for the benefits of the people.

Peter appealed to the State and Local Governments to come to the aid of the community in rehabilitating the dilapidated community township roads as well as the upgrade of the community Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) to a modern health facility.

Peter also called for youth empowerment especially in agriculture with farm inputs noting that some of the youths were already engaging in farming activities.

“Currently, our major focus is to complete our town hall, which will provide an avenue for community engagement, and several occasions that will unite the community.

“Beyond town-hall, we want the government to help in rehabilitating our community roads that had been destroyed by erosion and are no longer motor-able.

“We need government intervention so as to put our community roads in good shape because the roads were never like that before.

“We also lack quality healthcare centres because as big as Orokere is, there is no modern hospital, all that we have are clinics that attend to minimal health issues.

“To get quality medical service, we have to travel very far with many risks attached to it.

“With government support, the existing primary healthcare centre can be upgraded to cottage hospital. We will appreciate it if the government can come to our aid in this direction.

“We want government to also empower them with farm inputs to improve their farming activities now that attention is being shifted away from the white collar job,

“We have most of our youths who are already engaging in agriculture, and they need to be supported. This would go a long way in helping the wellness of our community,” Peter said.

In his remarks, the member representing Yagba Federal Constituency, House of Reps, Elder Leke Abejide, congratulated the people of Orokere community for their celebration and urged them to continue to sustain peace and harmony in the entire Yagba land

Abejide, who was represented by Dr Samuel Babatunde, (aka Esanuaje), assured the people of Orokere of his support towards the completion of the town hall and other developmental projects for the benefits of the community.

The royal fathers of the day: the Elulu of Mopaland, HRM Oba Muyiwa Ibeun; and the Alamuro of Amuroland, HRM Oba Alfred Modupe Aiyedogbon, said the celebration had been fostering unity and peaceful coexistence amongst Mopamuro communities.

The Elulu, who is the Chairman Mopamuro Traditional Council, and represented by the Oba of Odole- Mopa, Bayo James stressed that such gathering had engendered continuous peace and progress in Mopamuro land.

Alamuro noted that Orokere has remained a pace-setter and one of the leading communities in Amuro land, adding that the celebration is also a way to showcase their various cultural heritage.

Alamuro urged other Amuro communities to emulate what Orokere is doing in community development through fundraising; saying the government cannot do it alone.

“We should not wait for the government or politicians to do all the developmental projects in our communities because the government cannot do it alone,” Alamuro said.

Also speaking, Commodore Michael Folusho Daniel (MFD) rtd, a former Kogi Assembly Lawmaker, who represented Mopamuro constituency, said the Orokere community has remained united and peaceful with self-helped developmental efforts.

He urged various communities to continue to help themselves in addressing some of their challenges while looking forward to government assistance to come, stressing that self-help remained the best form of help.

MFD, who is the Asiwaju of Orokere and Akingbade of Amuroland, stressed the need for the government to improve the condition of the youths through job creation and empowerment programmes.

He also commended Governor Ahmed Ododo for his tremendous achievements within his short term in office, saying he had started on a good footing and urged him to sustain his good work.

In their separate interviews with newsmen; Hon. Komolafe Dennis, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Inter Party Affairs; and Hon. Bukola Obajemu, LG Special Assistant to Governor and former Vice Chairman Mopamuro, both expressed their gratitude to God for making the Orokere day a reality.

The highlights of the occasion include: cultural displays, fund raising, free medical services, and award presentation to Orokere sons daughters who have made tremendous impacts in the community through their commitment and selfless services.

There was also the delivery of Public lecture, which centred on “The Need for Unity, Commitment and Selflessness as Keys To a Better Community Development”, as well as a variety of programs such as football match, Orokere local food delicacies like Popolo and Papa, among others.