Prof Asiwaju-led KINTERREG charges Nigeria/Bénin Govts to address cross-border insecurity, disunity

The Professor Anthony Asiwaju-led Kétu International Region Development Group (KINTERREG), Saturday, 27th of July, 2023, has sought the collaboration of the governments of Nigeria and Bénin republic in curtailing the rising insecurity and barriers hindering cooperation across the border lines of the two countries.

The President, at the Onimeko Conference Hall Imeko, the venue of the Congress, who lamented the increasing spate of security challenges, stated that the boundary, as it remains, is not more than a mere artificial structure that shouldn’t be allowed to pierce through our hearts of oneness as a people, adding that with the support of the two governments, KINTERREG will leave no stone unturned in facilitating the expected and original cooperation among Kétu people.

L-R: Hon Antoine IDJI (Vice President), Prof Asiwaju (President), HRM Oba Benjamin Alabi OLANITE (Onimeko of Imeko), Chief Mrs Mary Ogunjobi (Ìyá-Ìlú of Imeko)

The Emeritus Professor proferred that going by the urgent need to mediate peaceful co-existence as one of the best ways to curb insecurity and threat to life of the inhabitants and dwellers in the border towns, the Eleven year old KINTERREG will no longer entertain complacency, rather it will position itself rightly as an agent of unification between the two sides of Kétu: the western part of Imeko/Afon, Yewa North LGA of Ogun State, Nigeria and Plateau department of Bénin where lies the districts of Kétou.

The Don commended the efforts of KINTERREG at spreading its net to involve the young people, noble professionals, who have in their respective endeavors displayed genuine interest in moving Ketu nation to a higher level, adding that moves by members of KINTERREG to promote Ketu language and its culture can’t be overemphasized.

Earlier, briefing the Congress about the KINTERREG progress, the Secretary General, Amb Benoît ADEKAMBI, said three projects were being adopted for execution, namely strengthening the fabrics of security achitecture of Ketuland across the two countries, promotion of Ketu language and culture, as well as strengthening cross-border cooperation.

“The main objective of KINTERREG is to remove the harmful effects resulting from materialistic barriers by the international border in order to convert them into new functions of links between the two States, while respecting their own sovereignty and in accordance with the provisions of bilateral instruments, related regional and international.

Within the framework of regional integration, it intends to favor the interest in the economic and social development of the Region.

“On the international level, the Union intends to serve as a pioneer in introducing in Africa, following the example of Europe, cross-border cooperation and a development program whose financing will be sought from the rulers of Benin and Nigeria, regional integration and any other donors.

“African organizations according to the legal texts of the Union can collaborate with African cross-border associations at both West African and African levels, like the European Association of Cross-border Regions”, the Scribe stated.

Pastor Felix Afolabi who represented the Assistant Secretary, Apagun Alani, M. Fabuyi, added that, to start with, Ketu language should henceforth becomes the official means of communication during the course of the Congress.

Unanimously, KINTERREG has agreed to be part of a 3-Day LÁFÚN Celebration holding in Ketu, Benin republic, where the people’s cultural heritages and values will be displayed extensively. The 7th edition of the annual cultural event will kicks off on Thursday, 25th August, 2023 with the Grand Finale slated for Saturday, 27th August, 2023.

Partnering, the Kétu Indigenous Peoples Network, being led by Simon FAKEYE will also be part of the celebration to promote Ketu Indigenous Peoples Food Systems and Cultural Heritage.

The highlight of the meeting was the visit of the KINTERREG led by HRM Oba Benjamin Alabi OLANITE (Onimeko of Imeko), to the international market built by Nigeria on the border with Bénin at the foot of the hamlet Gbangolo in Illikimoun village, the district of Dirin in Bénin and the source of Yewa river.