DAWN Has Deepened Development Cooperation Among South West States – Famakinwa

Dipo Famakinwa, is the Director General of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria(DAWN), an agency that facilitates development cooperation in the south western Nigeria, In this Exclusive Interview with Enitan Olukotun, the editor of the COMPLETE NEWS In Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, Famakinwa espoused the objectives of the agency and how it has fostered development in the region.

What happened that we have not been hearing much about DAWN in recent times?

We are not supposed to be making a lot of noise; it is our work that should to be speaking for us. We don’t work like a typical government organization. What we do is to give perspectives to what should be done to our states especially in areas where they should work together. Our states are working together in areas like culture and tourism. They are working together in the area of education.

I can tell you for free that in many areas there have been many collaborative efforts among our states. It is the work that our states are doing that should speak for them and not what DAWN says.

How would you react to the accusations that DAWn is an extension of the dominant political party in the south west, All Progressives Congress, APC?

I think it is time for us to stop talking about all these political divisions. We are not going to make progress when we continue to dwell on them. What is political in the fact that we want to revive our language? The revival of our language has nothing to do with the government in power. DAWN is a clarion call to everybody either you are in or outside the government. Everybody that is within the space called southwest is welcomed to join hands and work for the development of the region.

For instance, If we want to reform our education system does that have anything to do with political colouration. I think it is time we focused on what we want to do for our people.
Just like what is obtainable in other climes, it does not matter the person in government, the most important thing is the advancement of the collective aspirations of the people.

Afterall, the Oodua Investment that is being celebrated today was formed under a political dispensation and it lasted many political dispensations. Nobody can wake up today and say because Ihe does not t agree with the ideologies of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo that he will crumble Oodua Investment. The Yoruba people will fight him to standstill. So, let us continue discussing areas of common interests rather than divisive issues.

How prepare is Yoruba nation to overcome the impending economy crisis occasioned by the crashed oil price?

The vision behind the DAWN itself is a testimony to the fact that the people of the region are ahead of others. We have envisaged all these so that we will not be caught off guards.
The idea is that we are going to launch the region into comity of viable nations in the world. That is why we are working together. No state in the region can achieve as much as when all of them are working together.

If you wanted to build integrated transportation, it has to run through the region. If you want to build energy infrastructure, it has to run through the region. We have seen the situation of the crashed oil price coming and we have built measures to ameliorate the impact.