A traditional ruler in Ogun State, the Onimeko of Imeko in the Imeko/Afon Local Government area of Ogun State, Oba Benjamin Olanite, on Tuesday, lamented the abandonment of the border communities by the government.
He noted that the abandonment has further encouraged banditry activities and kidnapping among these communities.
Oba Olanite disclosed that the situation is so bad that teachers are now getting so scared of falling victim to the terror of rampaging bandits and kidnappers that they don’t want to have anything to do with border communities.
The royal father said a majority of the educational institutions such as primary and secondary schools established in these communities are either a product of the missionaries or communal efforts appealing to both the federal and state governments to help the hapless residents of these communities.
Oba Olanite spoke during the opening ceremony of a two-day international conference in honour of Emeritus Prof of History, Anthony Asiwaju, held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto Abeokuta.
The international conference with the theme, “Comparative African History and Borderlands Studies was put together by the Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun and Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, at the instance of the Ogun State Government.
The conference, chaired by Prof. Folashade Ogunsola, Vice-Chancellor of Lagos State University, also had in attendance Governor Dapo Abiodun, represented by his deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, the keynote speaker, Prof Yemi Akinyeye, as well as the Director General of the National Boundary Commission, Abuja, Surv Adaji Adamu.
Others were the Vice-Chancellors of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye and Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun Prof Ayodeji Agboola and Prof Oluwole Banjo, respectively; Prof Abdulrahman Bello, Chairman, Governing Council of TASUED; as well as the Commissioner for Education, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu, among other scholars across the nation.
Oba Olanite said, “I was recently at a function where I said the border communities are treated as the anus, not as head, leg or any part of the body.
“But when we use our anus, we still go ahead to clean it because if it gets infected, every part of the body will be affected.
“When they are talking about border communities, some will tag us as people who are into smuggling activities and all sorts but these are communities where you will hardly see the presence of the government either federal, state or local.
“We are at the mercy of the communal and missionary efforts to put in place primary and secondary schools. The issue of the bandits and kidnappers is not allowing the teachers to come to our area again.
“This international conference is quite apt and it should be used to further highlight the plight of the residents of the border communities in the country.”
Speaking at the event, Salako-Oyedele rejoiced with Prof. Asiwaju for being a global scholar who has brought honour and glory to the state.
He said that the purpose of the international conference is to provide a platform to further discuss the use of borders among African countries as a bridge to enhance economic integration and prosperity and not as a barrier to stifle the potential growth and economic boom on the continent.
Speaking with journalists at the conference, Prof Asiwaju lauded Abiodun for deeming it fit to honour him with the international conference, saying that it only shows that the governor is a politician with a different perception.
Asiwaju, however, said that he was always embarrassed and shocked when confronted with the plight of residents in border communities, given the amount of work he had done for over 60 years to bring about a positive change.
The Emeritus Professor said, “It was my work that led to the creation of the National Boundary Commission as well as Nigeria Border Community Agencies.
“Both of them are under the presidency, so, sometimes you get embarrassed and shocked by the gap, the disconnect between policymaking and the implementation
“If the policies put in place have been systematically implemented, we won’t be where we are, the abandonment of the border communities would have long been resolved, so we shall keep talking about this to bring about the much-desired results that we all want.”
