Ade-Ojo

By Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

Arrangement has been concluded for a symposium that will feature high-level exchange of ideas and information among elected officials, planners, researchers, technologists, business executives and other leaders recognised worldwide on the way forward for the socio-economic development of the South West.

It is tagged: Impact Southwest Economic Development (ISEDE) and the theme is “Developing a Roadmap to Regional Prosperity” will take place on Wednesday, November 18 at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, Ibadan.

Bashorun Kola Daisi will chair the event while Chief Micheal Ade-Ojo, Chairman Elizade motors will give a key note address on trade and commerce. Other egg-heads that will brainstorm on a new path for the region include Professor Danbala Danju, MD, Bank of Agriculture, who will speak on the topic “Agriculture: Beyond Food is Wealth.” Mr. Mohammed Yinusa (GMD, Dunlop Group) will focus on “Manufacturing, Panacea for Industrialisation and Employment Generation.”

Chief-Kola-Daisi

While Mrs. Morenikeji Babington-Ashaye, former chairman Ogun state Board of Internal Revenue and founder/CEO ACCERS will speak on taxation and development, Mr. Fadipe Ashamu, a former permanent secretary in Lagos State, will focus on culture and tourism as a factor of social and economic development.

Mr. Owolabi Oladejo, President and CEO, Impact Business Radio who is the organiser of the event said the focus is to seek answers to what went wrong in South west and how the region found herself in the present parlous state.

According to him, “the focal points of the maiden ISEDE symposium include seeking to find answer to the germane question: ‘Southwest, What Went Wrong?’ The symposium shall connect people from within our region and across other regions to promote maximum utilisation of our natural resources, promote mass employment, reduce poverty, strengthen business growth, generate innovative sustainable solutions and enhance regional economic development.”

While expressing excitement to have such an esteemed gathering of highly experience and accomplished people gather in Ibadan to discuss and seek way out of the economic and social doldrums that the Southwest region and indeed Nigeria has found herself, Oladejo added that the purpose of the biannual ISEDE symposium is to strengthen and build economic and social co-operation within constituent states and residents of the south west region.

According to the CEO of Nigerian’s first business radio, “developing a roadmap to regional prosperity seeks to create an economic roadmap for unified actions by state governments within the region and collaboration between relevant private sector operators in the south west region that will culminate in new jobs, incentives to manufacturers, international marketing opportunities, encouragement of entrepreneurship and investment.”

He is of the view that the actions will both strengthen and diversify the regional economy while also guiding the coordinated efforts by local communities across the states in a manner that will positively impact the region as a whole.