Saturday Tribune speaks with Papa Adeyinka Onakade, who X-rayed how circumstances birthed the Ikenne Development Association (IDA)…
As an elder statesman, we want you to tell us how the story of Ikenne Development Association (IDA) started.
The most important organisation we have in Ikenne, which has been holding forth since 1976/77, is the Ikenne Development Association (IDA). The association is more or less a child of circumstances.
Around 1975/76, when the Ogun State Government was reconstructing the Iperu–Ilishan–Ikenne road, they disrupted the water pipeline that supplied Ikenne with water from Ogere. So, as far back as 1975/76, we had no water supply in Ikenne. So, we were going here and there to fetch water. When we were coming from Lagos, we would come with kegs. We fetched water from Sagamu. Otherwise, you wouldn’t get water to drink in Ikenne. And if you didn’t get water from Sagamu, you would go to Odogbolu and fetch water. We would go there with many kegs.
So, there was a day, I think it was in 1976 or so, when some of my friends, my townsmen and I went to Odogbolu to fetch water. They had a water tap there, near the cemetery. It was more or less on the outskirts. So, we used to converge there and fetch water. We were so many that day, and mainly from Ikenne. So, the Odogbolu people saw us as a nuisance. In fact, to be candid, we were a nuisance. Some would come with five, six, three or four kegs. So, the people of Odogbolu were annoyed. They told us so many things. They lambasted us.
They were abusing us. We were very ashamed. We moved back. They owned their town; we could not do anything. We later fetched water home that day. When we gathered together under the shed, we said, ‘What kind of disgrace is this? What can we do to stop our people from suffering this way, especially because of water? Because water is the most basic thing.’
We started thinking about the idea of a borehole.
Fortunately, among us that day, there was someone there, Sesan Adebajo, a water engineer. In fact, he was the one making water for the Western Region, distributing water everywhere. In fact, the water at Odogbolu, I believe he was the one who constructed the tank there. We were like, if this can be done for the world, why not here? So, we started. The discussion began to spread. And then, we all had clubs. We could not do this thing individually; let us bring our clubs together. There were Ikenne Youth Club and Ikenne Inner Circle.
There were other clubs as well, so we started calling everyone to know what to do to address the issue of water. That was how it started in 1976. We assembled the clubs—about seven or eight of them. We formed the group. I have that paper right here. So, we gathered together and called a meeting. We invited the elders who were older than us. We called them, sent circular letters and held a meeting. So, from every club, we said, ‘Go and discuss in your clubs. Discuss this in your clubs and send representatives to the meeting.’
There were about seven clubs. So, two members from my own club, ICI—myself and the late Tunde Allen—represented our club. The IYC members also came; about three or four of them. The elders were also there, two from each group. We started, and that was the birth of IDA.
Sir, is it safe to say that the water issue actually led to the formation of IDA?
Yes, the water issue prompted it. So, when we started the meeting, the IYC now brought up a larger agenda. They started discussing, but water came first. Education, development and many other things came up. But water was the most crucial thing for us at that time. We had water before, but they dug up everything when they constructed the road, so water stopped flowing to our area.
So, someone was there, a water engineer. So, he promised us that they would make a borehole for us. And we had an elder, a father figure, who said once they did that, all the disrupted pipes would be reactivated.
That was one of the first projects. The repairs generally for the community. Every club volunteered.
Sir, this means before IDA formation, there were social clubs and Egbe Ibile which were standing alone and not under a single entity like you have it today with IDA?
Oh yes, they were social clubs. IDA is a conglomeration of social clubs. The Egbe Ibile, we brought them in to give a sense of belonging so that if we called upon them, they wouldn’t look at it as if it was only for the educated elites.
The Egbe Ibile have been around since the time of our ancestors. That is how the town has always been from long, long ago.
Even before the clubs. Before the town itself existed. That is how our lineage has been; they have existed long ago.
As an elder statesman in Ikenne, what is the preoccupation of the people of this town?
Farming. Farming is our main job. Some of our women engaged in trade, but that trade was not predominant among the men. The men are majorly farmers.
We’ve been told most developments we see in Ikenne are community-driven. As an elder who was a pioneer member of IDA, what do you consider as a factor responsible for the sustainability of the IDA?
I think it is the grace of God. What we call the grace of God. You see, Ikenne, as a town, as a community, we are so politically divided. Politically divided. We don’t agree with each other much.
But this IDA, this association, serves as the glue that holds us together. When it comes to the matter of development in this community, we don’t fight each other, no matter how. Now, the other Remo people, they were making jest of us, saying: ‘You Ikenne people, you are not united; you don’t have king, you don’t have chiefs, you don’t have anything. But everything that those who have kings and chiefs cannot do, you are doing it. How come?’
I remember sometimes when we built this medical college in those days, the late Akarigbo came. And they were introducing the buildings donated by the Awolowo family, Onafowokan family, this family and that family hostels. And this project is for Remo. It’s a Remo project. Akarigbo said: ‘We thank God that you are not united, what if you were united? What would happen? You Ikenne people, you did this despite your inner misunderstanding. You fight each other, you don’t have a king nor chiefs.’
So, whatever the community wants, they find a project. If it is a school, they would cost it to know how much it will take, and they would now approach individuals. IDA themselves, it wasn’t that money was readily there; we taxed ourselves.
Look at the general hospital we have now. Go there and see; you won’t see Ogun State Government’s hand there. IDA sponsored it. IDA clubs donated theatres. When you get there, you will see a block donated by the Awolowo family, a block donated by a certain club. You will find it there. Not only that, they built doctors’ quarters.
So, on a final note, from your position in the town, sir, what has been the contribution of the Awolowo family? Because when people mention Ikenne Remo, it is very synonymous with the late sage?
You know, when you mention Awolowo, everything we are talking about here could not have been done without him.
Everything, whenever we wanted to do it, we informed the elders; they were the ones who bore the cost. They donated. So, we identified those who had the means, even if they didn’t show up in town often but resided elsewhere. We didn’t even know some were Ikenne indigenes until we did some research. We used IDA to bring them home. And they built houses in Ikenne now; they come home, especially during the Ereke Day celebration.
So, we couldn’t have achieved anything without Baba Awolowo, Baba Onafowokan, Onafeso, and the like—those whom God blessed among us.
Look at the Ikenne United Comprehensive High School. Initially, it belonged to Ikenne and Ilishan. Because of its closeness to Ikenne, those from Ilishan felt disadvantaged and didn’t want to cooperate, so Ikenne people took it over. We built all the structures. Now, we thank God, our children who are in good positions are influencing the government to build structures there.
As one of the elders of Ikenne who have contributed to the development of the community, is there an initiative by the IDA to look after the elderly people of this great town?
I think it might be difficult for them to do. Just like I said earlier, IDA, as a society, as an association, doesn’t have a fixed budget anywhere. They are social clubs. The club members contribute to it to maintain it. When it started, we didn’t have any money there. Whenever we had needs, we made donations. Project-based donations. But now, things have changed. There is money today; our children of today know how to generate funds now, and they manage it well.
As at that time, we taxed club members every year. We started with 100 Naira. But 100 Naira then, from that 100 Naira, we paid vigilantes, we paid the town criers, we paid those sweeping the town hall, we paid those who cleaned the maternity home—from that 100 Naira per club then, we paid for all of that. But N100 of that time is equivalent to millions today. So, it was money that we contributed yearly that they had then. So, to provide welfare for the vulnerable was quite difficult because they don’t have the money.
But this year, I saw what they did. They distributed food items; rice is there, beans is there, everything, they share it. I’m sure it is not bought with IDA’s central money; some members donate it. Like palliatives.
WATCH TOP VIDEOS FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE TV