Awori leaders in Lagos State have urged indigenous communities to use ancestral land as equity in development projects and maintain political unity to strengthen their influence.
The call was made at the third Awori Summit in Lagos, organised to mark the fifth coronation anniversary of the Olofin of Isheri Mole and Adimula of Awori Kingdoms, Oba Sulaiman Bamgbade, according to a statement made available to The PUNCH on Monday by the Director of Publicity for Awori Welfare Association of Nigeria, Adeniyi Jafojo.
Speaking at the event, the Lagos State chairman of the All Progressives Congress and keynote speaker, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, said economic growth in Lagos would have little meaning for indigenous communities if they remained disconnected from the opportunities created by investment and development.
He urged the Awori people to move beyond political representation to developing leaders capable of influencing policies, budgets and development decisions.
Ojelabi said political participation should not be limited to producing politicians but should focus on preparing competent leaders with knowledge of governance, public finance, urban planning, infrastructure, maritime development, education and technology.
Ojelabi urged Awori landowners to stop viewing ancestral land only as property to be sold, advising them to consider using land as equity in development projects to retain long-term economic benefits.
“Instead of asking how much my land is worth, we should ask how this asset can generate sustainable wealth for my family and community for generations,” he said.
He also identified waterways as a major economic asset, urging Awori youths to acquire skills in maritime logistics, fisheries, marine transportation, boat building, waterway safety and other areas of the blue economy.
The APC chairman further called for investment in youth skills, mentorship, professional networks, scholarships, apprenticeships and access to finance, saying education alone was insufficient without structures to convert talent into economic opportunity.
In his remarks, the President of the AWAN, Ajibola Olagbaye, said the Awori people had significant land, population, professional and economic resources but lacked the organisation required to translate them into collective influence.
He proposed the establishment of a permanent Awori summit implementation council to implement resolutions, assign responsibilities, set timelines and publish annual progress reports.
Olagbaye also called for an Awori development and investment platform to mobilise capital for businesses and strategic projects, as well as a data, skills and enterprise register covering professionals, artisans, businesses, students and community needs.
In politics, Olagbaye urged the Awori people belonging to different political parties to maintain a common position on issues affecting their communities.
“Party affiliation is legitimate, but the Awori interest must not be dissolved inside any political party,” he said.
The chairman of the summit’s planning committee, Jelili Atiku, said rapid urbanisation and changing political dynamics were putting pressure on indigenous Awori communities.
Atiku identified stronger political participation, economic enterprise and wealth creation, and preservation of cultural identity alongside modern development as priorities for the Awori people.
He said Awori communities must move from selling land to building assets and participate more directly in the wealth generated from investments in their areas.
The monarch, Oba Bamgbade, urged the people to be deliberate about political relevance, strategic about economic empowerment and united in pursuing development.
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