Awori leaders have called for stronger political organisation, economic participation and collective ownership of development projects to prevent indigenous communities from becoming spectators as urbanisation transforms their ancestral lands.
They made at the third Awori Summit in Lagos, organised with the theme, ‘Repositioning the Awori Nation: Driving Politics and Economy in Modern Nigeria.’
The summit also marked the fifth coronation anniversary of the Olofin of Isheri Mole and Adimula of Awori Kingdoms, Oba Sulaiman Adekunle Bamgbade Ayodele Edun III.
Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman and keynote speaker, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, said the Awori people must 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.
He said economic growth in Lagos would have little meaning for indigenous communities if they remained disconnected from the opportunities created by investment and development.
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.
President of the Awori Welfare Association of Nigeria (AWAN), Asiwaju Ajibola Olagbaye, said the summit should produce measurable action rather than remain a platform for speeches and ceremonies.
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.
He 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.
On politics, Olagbaye urged Aworis 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.
Chairman of the summit’s Planning Committee, Qjögbón Jelili Olórunfúnmi Atiku, said rapid urbanisation and changing political dynamics were increasingly putting pressure on indigenous Awori communities.
Atiku identified three priorities for repositioning the Awori: stronger political participation, economic enterprise and wealth creation, and preservation of cultural identity alongside modern development.
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 Sulaiman Bamgbade, said the summit had become an important platform for discussing the political, economic and cultural future of the Awori people.
He urged the people to be deliberate about political relevance, strategic about economic empowerment and united in pursuing development.
The summit featured discussions involving the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr Isiaq Kayode Opeifa; member of the House of Representatives, Olatunju Akinosi; former Orile-Agege LCDA chairman; Mushin Local Government Chairman, Olatunbosun Aruwe; and Igando-Ikotun LCDA Chairman, Lasisi Ayinde Akinsanya.