…Takes Protect to Aboro’s Palace
ABEOKUTA– Youths in Ibeseland, a community in Yewa Local Government area of Ogun state have registered their displeasure over their Non-inclusion in an Agricultural empowerment program sponsored by Dangote Cement.
The youths in their numbers stormed the palace of the Aboro of Ibeseland, HRM Oluseyi Rotimi Mulero on Monday with different placard, while accusing the cement company of laxity towards the development of youth in their host community
Leading the protesters, Soji Ajayi, said, “agriculture is the major occupation of our forefathers and most of us were raised with proceeds from the farm.
“We surrendered most of our farm lands to pave way for the establishment of Dangote cement. It is however disheartening that the same company to whom we rendered such magnitude of favour decided to spit on our faces and mock our predicaments.
The latest of this barbaric act by Dangote cement is the farmers youth empowerment programme they placed under the care of Hon. Adegoke Adeyanju (Awoso).
“Instead of executing the project in line with the objective of the Company to empower youth farmers from the host communities, he turned it to a constituency project by importing people who are not from host communities into the project and disenfranchise the Original host communities in the process”.
Another protester, Musbau Oniyide berated the number of slots given to his community, saying that “Ibese community was given a meagre 4 slots out of 100 captured in the project.
“The programme had lost the essence of it’s creation, strangers who are neither from Ibese or any subordinate host communities have taken over the programme.
“Our demand is that the programme is either placed under the care of one of us, who is sure to prioritize the interest of Ibese and other host communities or the overseer of the project Honourable Adegoke Adeyanju is mandated to give Ibese the recognition we deserve as the major host community to the company he posited”.
Reacting, the Aboro of Ibeseland, Oba Oluseyi Rotimi Mulero assured the youths that all their queries will be taken to the appropriate quarters, adding that “as you know that as a Youth myself, I have place so much interest on issues that affects the youths.
“There is no society that can grow without making conscious effort on investing into the lives of the youths. You are the bedrock of the development of Ibeseland.
“I want to assure you that all your grievances will be reported to all concerned and I will ensure that this matter is treated genuinely and fairly in the interest of my people”, the monarch said.
