Oke-Ogun, the underdeveloped food basket of the South West

Oke-Ogun zone of Oyo state is one of the biggest with a huge land mass that is mainly agrarian and a melting point of cultures being home to many Fulani settlements a well as farmers from other tribes. It can be described as a border zone as it shares boundary with some states in Nigeria; Niger, Kwara, Ogun and Osun states as well as an African country; Niger Republic.

With the natural deposits and rich soil, the zone has all it takes to make Oyo state a leading state in Nigeria as it has a lot to contribute to the development of Oyo State and Nigeria. From Saki to Tede, Ago Amodu, Irawo, Iganna, Sepeteri, Ijio, Kisi, Igboho, Alaga, Otu, Oje Owode, Igbope, Igbeti, Igbojaiye, Baba Ode, Okeho, Iseyin, Ilero and to Fulani settlements like Kara and Keulere, it is obvious that Oke-Ogun is  an agricultural empire.

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Indeed, the economic development of Oyo State will take a boost if the attention is paid to the Oke Ogun zone as agriculture has been identified as a way of diversifying the economy of the nation. But for unknown reasons, the zone remains one of the most undeveloped in Oyo state; bad roads, lack of potable water, no power supply to many communities, security issues, poor educational institution, lack of media organization and basic social amenities, poor access roads to farm.

Aside its agricultural prowess, mineral deposit, the proximity of the zone to the border further makes it attractive to smugglers though their activities further endanger the people of the zone as a result of accidents, shoot out with authorities and more often, expose their farms to damage by smugglers that drive through farmland to evade arrest.

And in spite of the fact that there are many Fulani settlements scattered across the zone, the activities of herdsmen is also a major issue for the people as many farmers and their loved ones had lost their lives to  deadly herdsmen who invade their farmland in order for their cattle to feed on crops.

For the people, this is a major challenge and the end seems not in sight as they continue to lose their products and lives while it seems there is no one interested in their plight.

Oke Ogun has been adjudged to be richer than some prosperous African countries like Botswana which is rich in diamond due to solid mineral deposits which it has in abundance and is unmatched by other zones in the country. It has marble, gold, tourmaline and talc among other deposits.

Igbeti in Olorunsogo Local Government Area of the state is rich in marble, dolomite and other deposits; communities in Orire Local Government are also rich in marble; Iganna is the land of charcoal which is also a money spinner and source of foreign exchange; Komu in Itesiwaju Local Government is the home of Tourmaline; Sepeteri town is the home of Tantalite deposits, communities in Itesiwaju are rich in quartz, columbite, talc and several other minerals. It is said that there are mineral deposits all over Oke Ogun region.

In addition, the region can also help the socio economic development of the Oyo state and South West zone in general through tourism. There are great tourist attractions in Oke Ogun; the suspended lake in Ado Awaye, Igbo Oba in Kisi, Ebedi Hills in Iseyin, Asabari Hill in Saki, Akomare Hill in Igangan, the Ikere Gorge Dam, which has the capacity to boost the agro-industrial development of the whole of Nigeria as well as supply power to the people and many other natural tourist attractions.

However, all these remain untapped as they wait endlessly for development; many people in the state including traditional rulers continue to complain that the zone is abandoned and needs government attention. Indeed, though Oke Ogun is richly blessed and remains incomparable to other zones in Oyo state and other regions in the southwest, the zone and its people continue to  suffer too much neglect and underdevelopment; their mineral deposits remain unharnessed while the people live in poverty and mainly consider themselves as abandoned and cut off from government efforts.

In spite of the feasibility of having huge farm settlements based on the richness and suitability of the land for agricultural and agro-allied uses, majority of the population is engaged in subsistence farming and related activities; putting to shame the huge potential of the zone despite its hardworking people.

Farmers in the zone have broken down the stereotype that farming is a job for illiterates and old men as many young people in the zone are embracing farming and struggling to increase the scale of their production.

Many people in the zone belief that they have been abandoned and are looking forward to someone from the zone occupying a position of power in the state in order to give them the desired change all round and a new lease of life.

“This place is good for farming; we are farmers and we take it serious because there’s nothing we cannot plant but we have challenges that are enormous and it seems government doesn’t remember us once they get our votes. We are disconnected and this is not good because we have what it takes to develop this state. My prayer is that one of our own people will rule this state so that we will be remembered by government. See all these transformers; they have been there for years with no one connecting it, is that normal?” Felix Adubi told Nigerian Tribune at Oje Owode community.

There is need for government to look inwards and access the resources at its disposal by exploring the natural resources in the zone for commercial purposes so that the abundant wealthy could be unraveled for the development of the state and its people as well as to liberate people living in the zone from poverty which is palpable round the zone.