The Boiling Point Media, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility to the nation, has struck a partnership with a financial services company, Lead Resources, to impact various communities in Owu Kingdom with an economic blueprint capable of lifting the people out of poverty.
As a fallout of the series of topics pushed to the front burner through its monthly discourses, the Boiling Point Media and Lead Resources are collaborating as catalysts and facilitators to foster an Agenda for Sustainable Local and Community Economic Development across various communities in Nigeria.
Both organisations resolved to bail out different communities in the country through intervention schemes that save people at the grassroots from the present economic slavery paradigm and shift attention away from government.
With Owu communities chosen for the pilot project, both Boiling Point Media and Lead Resources have also secured a Memorandum of Understanding with the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Prof Saka Matemilola, whose institutional strength would be used to structure people at the grassroots to create a productive value chain that produces competitive outcomes locally and internationally.
Last Thursday, a delegation of Boiling Point Media led by the Promoter, Dr Ayo Arowojolu, and another team led by Lead Resources Chief Executive Officer, Hon. Kehinde Sogunle, a former Finance Commissioner in Ogun State, were at the palace of Oba Matemilola to finalise discussions on how to kick-start the project.
Oba Matemilola, who received the delegation, also had with him a prominent Owu traditional ruler, the Towulade of Akinale, Oba Olufemi Ogunleye, and about five other high ranking chiefs.
In his presentation at the meeting, Hon. Sogunle said given the failure of successive governments to adequately address the economic survival challenge of the people, there is a compelling need for an economic action team to chart a course towards economic relevance and sustainability.
Said Sogunle: “We need to save our people by focusing on our local and communities as economic levers. Our community leaders have to lead the way. Our people are being punished for what is not within their control through the bad policies and failed strategies of successive leaders.
“We are vulnerable to the dangers of Western economics and exposed to the risks of manipulations by capitalists and economic institutions. Unfortunately, there are no sufficient strategic response by national players who also exploit the gaps and asymmetries”
Responding, the monarch appreciated the team for considering Owu communities for the pilot scheme and expressed readiness to synergize with the collaborative initiatives which he is optimistic would go a long way to take hundreds of his subjects out of the poverty trap.
Oba Matemilola disclosed spirited efforts by the palace leadership in using multi-pronged approaches including focusing on agriculture to bail out his teeming people from hardship.
He said: “What you are bringing connects well with me. Poverty is everywhere where I have been to but there seems now to be a sense of urgency. Whatever we can do to bring succour to our people, I am for it.
“Among many things, we have tinkered on an Owu Economic Agenda that is based on agriculture. Here in Abeokuta, we are blessed with agricultural opportunities, arable land, clement weather, etc.
“We have already started the process of acquiring about 2,000 acres of land around Ogun-Osun and Oyan Dam axis. We have started training on fisheries. We must do something urgent to salvage our people. This laudable initiative cannot be for Owu people alone. It is about all our people in Egbaland that must benefit. Even though it is starting from here. Development doesn’t go with building walls but Improvement in the lives of our people.
“The more productive hands we have the better for us. Abeokuta has no reason to be poor at all, given the resources at hand . Our common interests is for humanity, We must leave impact behind and also put smiles on people’s face.”
The royal father also disclosed that he was presently working with a project team of experts from Rutgers University, the University of Pennsylvania and University of Maryland on some community economic development projects beneficial to Owu communities.
The Boiling Point delegation included a finance expert, Dr Oluwatosin Oyetayo and Mr Gboyega Arikawe while Mr Oluranti Diyan, Mr Obot Essiet and Mr Emmanuel Akinyemi represented Lead Resources at the meeting.
