No fewer than sixty notable Ibadanland indigenes have founded Ibadan Welfare Advancement Group, (IWA GROUP), aimed at positioning the ancient city as an economic destination by the year 2040.
This was stated by the Group’s visioner and Coordinator-General, Chief Adeyemi Soladoye, during the General Assembly of the association in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Soladoye, during the meeting which had several members in attendance and virtual participants from abroad, noted that the establishment of the group stemmed from several moribund industries, complacent creation of state, inability to construct befitting Olubadan Palace until some Governors’ intervention to the tenure of current Governor Seyi Makinde that ensured the Palace’s completion, commissioning and usage.
The IWA GROUP’s Visioner also added that interest must be shown in who occupies Ibadanland and drives economic activities in avoidance to lose politics and land to non-indigenes in no distant time thereby declaring that “Change has come to Ibadanland”.
Critical paths of the IWA GROUP include being an Ethno-Economic Group, to protect Ibadanland and promote her economy as its mission, daily creed is spirituality to do one good thing at least for Ibadan’s sake each month, anywhere.
Moreover, the difference between the group and Socio-Cultural Clubs is that all subscriptions paid by each member will later be returned to him or her with impressive profit whether dead or alive as the subscription while it lasts, would be strictly to further Economic Development of Ibadanland.
Furthermore, fifteen projects ranging from public enlightenment of Ibadan indigenes to creation of a dignifying Trade Identity as Ibadanland particularly food security in the years ahead have been set aside for Community Welfare Advancement.
According to Chief Adeyemi Soladoye, “To you my fellow travellers on this journey to Oke-Langbodo, please remember the saying that if you will be afraid, don’t do it and if you will do it, don’t be afraid. People will talk, they will malign some of your members but remember that a man without enemies is a man without qualities”.
Soladoye stated further, “IWA GROUP has come up as the Economic Class of Ibadanland to galvanize, collaborate and partner with the political class, the religious class, the traditional class, the military class, the socio-cultural class and the international communities for an all Ibadan Economic Renaissance Agenda so that Ibadan can emerge as an Economic City-State in Nigeria latest by the year 2040 with or without the creation of Ibadan State and definitely without sidelining the indigenes of Ibadanland being in the process”. the ÌWÀ Group Coordinator-General concluded.
However, attendees of the programme implored the convener of the IWA Group to make the initiative a lasting legacy that can be bequeathed to forthcoming generations as the group’s convener declared Easter Friday as a day of National Conference and bi-annual lecture that would be themed: “Connecting the Yesterday of Ibadanland With its tomorrow.