Rural development refers to the process of improving the quality of life and economic well-being of people living in relatively isolated and sparsely populated areas.
It is generally believed that changes in global production networks and increased urbanisation have changed the character of rural areas, as increasing tourism, niche manufacturers and recreation have replaced resource extraction and agriculture as dominant economic drivers.
This has compelled governments at all levels to fashion out approach development from a wider perspective and create more focus on a broad range of development goals rather than merely creating incentive for the rural communities.
For instance, education, entrepreneurship, physical infrastructure and social infrastructure all play an important role in developing rural communities.
Rural development programmes are usually top-down from governments, regional development agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations, and international development agencies.
In fact, many of the developed countries have very active rural development programmes, as the main aim of the rural government policy is to develop undeveloped villages.
One of such rural communities in deplorable conditions and desperate need of assistance is Olori village in Oyo-East Local Government area of Oyo State.
The riverine community, it was gathered, had been in existence for over a century, as the inhabitants were said to have originated from the ancient town of Oyo.
Before the creation of Osun State from the former Oyo State, the villagers were living harmoniously with their neighbouring communities of Owu and Ife-Odan.
But shortly after the creation of Osun State, the Olori villagers maintained their origin of Oyo State, while Owu, Ife-Odan and four other communities were ceded to Osun State.
The matter later got to a climax in April 2008, when all efforts by Owu and Ife-Odan community leaders in Osun State to persuade the Olori villagers to renounce their origin of Oyo State for Osun State went on deaf ears.
Angered by the uncompromising stance of Olori villagers to renounce their origin of Oyo State to Osun State and putting into consideration the fact that Olori village is located in the Forest Reserve Area and richly endowed with natural resources like gold and other tourist attractions, both Owu and Ife-Odan communities considered the option of violence, in order to force the villagers cede to Osun State.
On that fateful day, the unsuspected villagers, who were predominantly farmers had gone to their farms when hoodlums, numbering about 100 and armed with dangerous weapons like guns, cutlasses and knives, invaded the village.
Many of the villagers, including the aged, were attacked and sustained serious injuries, while property estimated to worth several thousands of naira destroyed.
One of the villagers, Jimoh Adejare, a security guard attached to the maternity centre by the Local Government, who has just returned to his residence that fateful day after work, and was preparing to go to farm, was murdered in cold blood by the hoodlums.
Before ending their dastardly mission, the hoodlums abducted 15 of the village elders, and were held hostage for four days without food.
All the abducted elders were later released with their health deteriorated, courtesy of Officers and men of zone 11 of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in Osogbo, Osun State capital.
Three of the elders who narrated their ordeals in the hands of the hoodlums described their experiences as saddening and horrible.
One of them, 70-year-old Yekini Ayanfemi, displayed to our correspondent five of his teeth forcefully removed by the thugs with a big stick, after which he was tied with a rope like a ram and severely macheted.
“The hoodlums asked me to lie down and one of them went to the bush and brought a big stick and hit me on the cheek. It was indeed very painful. I was also tied with a rope and seriously macheted, but God does not allow the cutlass to cut me”.
Two other elders, Shadiat Oseni (60), and Kareem Olawale (80),who spoke in the same vein, explained how they were abducted.
Shadiat said: “Immediately after abducting us, the hoodlums took us to the Palace of Head of Ife-Odan community, who ordered that we be kept and tortured without food for four days. Alhaji Ajiboye, Moses Adeboye and Tafa Adegboye, all indegenes of Ife-Odan Community led the thugs to our village. On the fourth day, the head of Ife-Odan Community, whose traditional title is ADIMULA, directed the leaders to take us to Ejigbo Divisional Police Command Headquarters, and tell the DPO that we came to invade their community”.
Pa Olawale, who narrated his ordeal in tears, said the Ejigbo Divisional Police Officer turned down the allegation and refused to detain them after which they were also taken to Okefia Divisional Command at Osogbo where both the Divisional Crime Officer and the DPO refused to accept the allegations against them.
“Thank God, it was at the Zone 11 of the Nigeria Police headquarters in Osogbo, where we regained our freedom and were saved from the hoodlums who were already determined to kill us after the Zone 11 trial. In fact, one Deputy Commissioner of Police, Ajiboye came to our rescue, as he provided us with delicious food and ordered that four of those who brought us be detained for wrongful and unfair allegation. The Divisional Crime Officer refused to believe that as aged as we are, we can invade a community”.
Two motorcycles and five grinding machines were reportedly snatched away by the hoodlums from the village.
Also commenting, the widow of the slain security guard, Idiatu Jimoh Adejare, who was in tearful mood throughout the interview, described the murder of her husband as wicked.
Raining curses on her husband killers, Mrs Adejare said: “I am now at the mercy of God with four under-aged children still in school. I have no other means of sustenance, except subsistence farming. I had not been receiving any assistance to take care of the children.’’
The invasion happened during last administrations of Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala (Oyo) and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun).
The two past administrations were said to have sought intervention of the National Boundary Commission from Abuja, which ceded the naturally-endowed village to Oyo State.
Then, the Alao-Akala led administration in Oyo State pledged to provide the needed infrastructures like school, primary health care delivery, potable water supply, rural electrification and canoe with rudders.
The local government in-charge was also directed to include in its budget certain amount of money for well-being of the villagers.
Besides the establishment of a primary school, all other pledges by both the immediate past State and Local Governments did not come into fruition.
There is a long river called OBA that passes through the village but which had been a threat to the villagers, especially during the rainy season, as movement to and from the community is usually hindered.
Consequently, a wooden-made local canoe was provided by the villagers, but which often failed to render the needed service during rainy season, whenever the river overflows its bank.
Some years ago, 10 villagers fell in the river when a canoe in which they boarded capsized.
On the ill-fated day, the villagers boarded the canoe to cross over the river to their community, when the paddle broke.
The victims were later rescued and taken to the hospital for medical attention.
The incident brought the State Deputy Governor, Moses Adeyemo, who represented the governor, to the village on sympathy visit, while the entire members of the House of Assembly led by the then Speaker, Monsurat Sunmonu, also paid a similar visit.
They promised to assist the villagers but till today, nothing has been done.
Interestingly, both the former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) during the last administration, Chief Layiwola Lakojo, and the former Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Alhaja Monsurat Sunmonu, hail from the village.
Speaking with our correspondent, some of the angry villagers said: “Our immediate need now is how to construct a bridge across the river. Without this, the community will be cut off from the rest of the neighbouring villages. You can see for yourself, especially now that we are in a rainy season. We find it difficult to reach our community. Our children are finding it difficult to go to school. We can’t get to where our sources of income are due to ocean surge whenever there is heavy down pour which often leads to ocean surge. We urge the State Government to come to our aid by fulfilling all the promises made for us.’
They, however, urged the state government to investigate the N157 million allegedly earmarked to the then Chairman of Oyo-East Local Government for the construction of a bridge across the river by the last administration of Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, but which had not been executed till today.
