Daud Olatunji
The Ogu General Assembly (OGA), a socio-cultural organisation representing the Ogu ethnic group, has renewed its call for greater inclusion in governance in both Ogun and Lagos States.
National President of the assembly, Professor Jendele Hungbo, during a press conference held at the Iwe-Iroyin Press Centre in Abeokuta, stressed the need to address cultural and educational disparities affecting the Ogu people.
The group, with over 2,000 members worldwide, is also advocating for the inclusion of the Ogu language in the academic curriculum of schools in the two states.
Speaking ahead of OGA’s upcoming 5th anniversary celebration and the second edition of its summit, Hungbo disclosed that the theme for this year’s summit is “Gbenopo: The Imperative of PAN-OGU Unity Beyond Borders.”
The event, set to promote unity and progress among the Ogu people, will feature a sports festival on October 19, an international culture fiesta on November 28, and a grand finale on November 30, 2024.
In a strong push for cultural preservation, Hungbo announced that OGA would approach the Lagos and Ogun State Assemblies to advocate for laws mandating the teaching of the Ogu language in schools.
He lamented the imposition of Yoruba as a compulsory language in schools attended by Ogu children, describing it as a barrier to learning and cultural preservation.
“We want to say no to forcing Yoruba language on our wards in schools. Majority of our wards can’t cope with the force, and many have dropped out. We believe teaching them in their indigenous language will help them and the system,” said Hungbo.
Despite the significant number of Ogu professionals in both Ogun and Lagos States, the absence of the Ogu language in schools continues to marginalise Ogu students, he added.
The group has already submitted a memorandum to the National Assembly during the last constitution review, calling for amendments to address cultural and ethnic disparities.
Apart from education, Hungbo highlighted the importance of economic diversification for Nigeria’s future.
He urged the Federal Government to reduce the country’s dependency on crude oil and focus on developing the manufacturing sector to boost exports.
According to him, no nation can thrive on a single resource, as Nigeria has been doing with oil.
“Nigeria must face its manufacturing sector. You need to be deliberate in diversifying the economy. No economy in the world survives with a single resource like we are relying on crude oil in the country. We must start manufacturing products to export,” he said.
Hungbo also stressed the need for Nigerians to embrace virtuous behaviour, noting that corruption is a major impediment to the country’s progress.
“Another sector we must face is the virtuous sector. We must be virtuous and possess the right and good virtues. Every Nigerian must fight corruption,” he added.
In addressing Nigeria’s leadership challenges, the Ogu assembly leader called for younger leaders to take over governance from the older generation.
He emphasized that Nigeria cannot continue to rely on outdated ideas, stating that younger leaders still have the future to look forward to and can bring new perspectives to governance.
“Let the young leaders take over governance from our old leaders. The young leaders still have the future to look up to. We need new ideas to do things,” Hungbo remarked.
Hungbo pointed to the structural lapses in the country as one of the major obstacles to national progress.
He lamented the marginalisation of the Ogu people and urged the government to take corrective action.
In a show of commitment to education, OGA has supported the academic pursuits of Ogu students by awarding scholarships to over 140 students and bursaries to 120 others.
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