{SPECIAL REPORT} UNIOSUN: Strengthening Development Through Community Participation

 

• Students Donate Streetlights, Materials To Communities

Sodiq Yusuf

A life they say is incomplete without making an impact. The reason why to most people, living a good life would only be measured by the level of impact one makes, not just within around his/her nuclear family, but all around the society, with appreciable results and testimonies.

In response to the problems associated with development of nations the world over, scholars who faulted the dominant paradigm of development in creating a way out, proposed some alternatives, which to them, is the way to go in not just making development available and accessible to the people, but ensuring that it is highly impactful and provides succour to their immediate needs.

While it is the primary responsibility of every government to provide and cater for the needs of the people from federal to the state and local government levels, the University is also in its mandate expected to aside providing qualitative education, digging deep into societal problems with thorough and problem-solving researches is also expected to positively influence its community, in what is better known as Corporate Social Responsibility.

To further advance the thread of the third tier of the mandate of every University, final year students of the department of Linguistics and Communication Studies, Osun State University, Ikire Campus, on Saturday, September 10, 2022, visited three communities in the State of Osun, to contribute their quota to community development, especially one that is people centered and oriented.

The students, led by the lecturers in-charge of CMS 404-Development Communication, Mr. V. Oluwole Adefemi and Dr. Mary Okocha installed six-700 AMPS solar streetlights at Oosa, Olupele and Ayegun communities under Ikire, the headquarters of Irewole Local Government area of the State of Osun. They also installed streetlights within the College of Humanities and Culture, Ikire campus. In all, the students provided seven streetlights for the benefit of the communities. 

Addressing members of the three communities who gathered at the Baale’s Palace at Oosa, for the Development Communication Initiative, the students took turns to educate them on varying topics including – Female Genital Mutilation, Vocational and Technical Education, Strengthening of Community Development Associations, Healthy Living, Personal and Societal Hygiene and the Prevention of Diseases.

The students also donated items relating to their topics of sensitisation to the participants who included women, youths and children.

 

 

Addressing the community leaders, the leader of the team, Mr. V. Oluwole Adefemi, emphasised the need for greater attention to intra-community development efforts, as governments at all tiers in Nigeria, over the years, have jettisoned participatory development.

Adefemi noted that the essence of development is to bring succour to the daily lives and well-being of the people, one which must be done, with respect to their yearnings, and not projected programmes and projects, that will in the long run, not make the desired impact.

He further stressed that in view of the incapability of the government to fast-track the development needs of the people, community should join hands to embark on self-help projects that would guarantee their well-being, safety and all round economic development.

Adefemi said: “We are from the Osun State University, Ikire Campus, to further stress the need for participatory development. We did not just come here. It was a planned effort aimed at ensuring that we are able to impact you positively. We cannot shy away from the fact that government is unable to do everything for us. That is why these students, within themselves, have contributed to do something in your communities.

“I wish to use this medium to call the attention of the government at all levels to the fact that development is not a thing of planning for the people. You have to plan with them. The main reason why government’s efforts at development, especially across communities such as yours failed is because they do not plan with the beneficiary of the project. Today’s event is the culmination of efforts of over four months. We did not just come here. We planned with you and that is why we are sure that the solar streetlights will impact and be of benefit to your community. 

“This should not stop here; I will like to admonish you to also at the level of your community associations, come up with ideas on how you will be able to come up with very impactful projects without necessarily waiting for government to come. One by one, you will see how rapid your communities will be.”

In their responses, the Baales of Oosa, Olupele and Ayegun, Chief Rauf Kareem, Chief Memudu Surajudeen and Chief Akeem Olujobi, respectively showered encomiums on the students.

They promised to make judicious use of the solar lamps and the varying ideas from the sensitisation segment of the programme for enhanced self, household and community development.

The village heads also prayed for the success of the students in their academic pursuit.