Ado-Ekiti--Close to a thousand men and women gathered in Ikere Ekiti on Monday to grace the launching of a new Mass Movement aimed at reclaiming what the organisers described as the "floundering fortunes" of Ekiti State and her almost 3million people. Drawn from 132 towns and villages, the new movement, IBILE was launched amidst pomp and pageantry, speeches, cultural display and a drama with the theme: Iwa Rere L'eso Eniyan (Good character is the essence of humanity). Addressing the mammoth crowd of largely rural folks, the Chairman of thw Local Organising Committee, (LOC) Mr Diran Obalola, said IBILE was established to provide a people-driven answer to the complex problems of cultural and economic livelihood of the people. He said "IBILE has come to rescue the threats to our heritage as a people. We have come to deconstruct the narratives of backwardness and hopelessness. We have come to constructively engage our people so that they can seize their destiny and reclaim their future. This is not a political organsation. It is rather a movement of the people that will ensure the ordinary man and woman will no longer take the back seat in the affairs that affect their livelihood and survival". He said IBILE hopes to recruit 50,000 people in the next six months with the apex target of 1 million people before the end of the year. "The greatest thing we can do is for the poor people to unite and speak, work together in dealing with their pains and agony. The people must come together before they can deal with food shortage, environmental problems and poverty arising from lack of an organised group that can pool and share resources together."
Speaking at the launching of the movement the Director General Mr Adewale Adeoye said IBILE will promote the ideals and good works of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. "Our motto is IRAPADA Ekiti. This we hope to achieve through self help and community service for the greatest good of the greatest number."


He said that worried by massive poverty in the state, IBILE also aims to form a working group led by young Ekiti Professionals that will establish economic groups and cooperatives in the 16 local government areas to access loans from agencies and financial institutions ready to assist the ordinary Ekiti man or woman and also to provide the leadership in skill acquisition and technical training."


Adeoye, explained that the movement was not a political group but to "promote the cherished core values of Ekiti people and assist the poorest of the poor."


He said that IBILE drew inspirations from Awolowo whom he described as the greatest Yoruba politician of all time and one of the greatest the world had ever seen.


The journalist-turned activist said that was why IBILE was launched on March 6, Awolowo's birthday noting that the movement was established to promote the welfare of people in the grassroots which the late sage worked for in his lifetime.


Adeoye who disclosed that IBILE has started recruitment in all the 16 local government areas of Ekiti State added that membership of the movement is open to people who are 18 years and above.


He said: "Our coming together today is symbolic in many respects. It marks the unique birthday of the greatest politician of modern times, Chief Obafemi Awolowo whose philosophical ideals continue to dominate the centre piece of discourse till date.


"Our choice to launch IBILE on this day was deliberate; the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo stood for free education, justice, integrated rural development and above all the greatest happiness of mankind all of which some of the kernel principles from which IBILE derives its prowess and strength.


"From one town to the other, from one farmstead to the other, poverty and want are now written on the faces of our people. Apart from the poor economic situation in our communities, those values that gave us honor are fading away like a candle wind in the wind.


"Today we gather here to make the historical declaration about our future as a people. We have gathered here with a determination to rewrite the narrative of Ekiti people and chart a new course for our long suffering people." Several representatives of Labour, Civil servants, farmers, peasants, self determination groups and students attended the launching where several soverniers and membership forms were distributed

First to comment! na only me waka come?