Ex-envoy Rotimi emerges Okun socio-cultural group President-General, as ODA gets new NEC | The Guardian Nigeria News
The 2024 Annual General Congress of the umbrella socio-cultural organization of Yoruba people in Kogi State, Okun Development Association (ODA), ended in Egbe, Yagba West Local Council on Saturday with former Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Sri-Lanka, Ambassador Akenson Rotimi elected as President-General of the association.
Rotimi, who succeeded the immediate past President-General, Chief Femi Mokikan, will now lead an 11-member new ODA National Executive Council (NEC) to steer the affairs of the organisation for the next three years.
Saturday’s change of guards marked the completion of the two-term tenure of the Mokikan-led Executive who took charge in 2017.
Highlights of the 2024 ODA AGM held at Ayisat Adedayo Multipurpose Event Centre, Egbe and witnessed by 60 delegates from Bunu, Ijumu, Mopamuro, Yagba East, Yagba West and Oworo in Lokoja, representatives from other state branches, traditional rulers and notable Okun indigenes, were the dissolution of the former NEC and swearing in of the new leadership.
ODA new President-General Rotimi giving his inaugural speech
The motion for the dissolution of the old NEC was moved at 1:50 pm by Lukman Usman from Oranre, Yagba East Council and seconded by Olorunipa James from Bunuland, Kabbabunu Council.
According to the Chairman of the AGM Electoral Committee, Chief Abayomi Medubi, the new leadership emerged in a peaceful, free and fair election. However, winners of all available posts were returned unopposed in the elections held by affirmation.
On the ODA new NEC are: Amb Akenson Rotimi, President General, Chief Solomon Olawumi, Vice President (South), Adoga Jibril, Vice President (North) while Barr. Femi Oloruntoba is the Secretary General.
Others are: Wale Ikuseru, National Auditor, Olorunfemi Anjorin, Financial Secretary, Emmanuel Ayorinde Moses, National Social Secretary, Felix Folorunsho, Deputy Social Secretary, Kolawole David Friday, Deputy Secretary General with former Managing Director of Graphics Newspaper, Pastor Dayo Thomas and Emmanuel Oladele Alabi emerging as National Publicity Secretary and PRO two respectively.
The Elegbe of Egbe and Chairman, Yagba West Traditional Council Oba Ayodele Irukera, commended the outgone ODA officials for their selfless service to Okun people as well as the peaceful conduct of the election.
In his valedictory speech, the outgone President-General, Mokikan said through its Branch Development initiative, his administration was able to increase the consciousness of Okun and Kogi people as well as Nigerians that the association existed, with establishment of branches both within and outside the country, including the ODA North America branch.
According to him, the commencement of the building of Okun Unity House in Kabba is one of the landmark achievements of his administration in the last six years.
Other achievements listed by Mokikan under his watch as ODA President-General include the Okun Anthem, bridge building across ethnic nationalities, ODA website/email, visibility through advocacy, tackling security challenges and placing the organization in the hands of the owners-the Okuns themselves. He urged the people to give maximum support to the incoming executives.
In his inaugural speech, Amb Rotimi thanked Okun people for the confidence reposed in him, assuring that the new leadership will not disappoint the trust. He noted that, “subject to amendments of ODA constitution”, the new leadership would ensure the creation of the offices of Women Leader and Youth Leader and convocation of “Okun Economic Summit”.
The summit, according to the President-General, will consist of eminent persons that will be invited to sit on the table to determine the direction that the Okun people would follow. “The summit will deliberate on issues like power rotation, restructuring, state of Okun Nation and its economy”, he said.
Notably, Rotimi promised an improved relationships with Okun’s neighbours in Kwara and Ekiti states “in preparation for tomorrow’s eventualities”, improved efforts at tackling the security challenges and the possibility of floating of an investment arm of the ODA.
He thanked those who contributed to the success of the 2024 AGM, notably Senator Sunday Karimi, who represents Kogi West District, Hon Leke Abejide, who represents Yagba Federal Constituency, Yagba West Local Government Transitional Committee, Oba Ayodele Irukera, and Mr Korede Adedayo, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, FirstTrust Mortgage Bank for their various supports, with a promise to continue to liase with prominent indigenes of Okunland, especially Okun’s representatives in the National Assembly, State House of Assembly, State and Local Governments, towards ensuring attainability of the set goals.
Pioneer ODA President, Capt David Amupitan (rtd), one time ODA President, Chief Emmanuel Otitoju, President of Southeast Yagba Women Development Association, Chief Ebun Joel and President of Aiyegunle-Gbede Development Union, Mallam Ahmed Ade-Fatai separately congratulated the new leadership on their emergence and prayed God to use them to effect the needed change in Okunland.
