by Aiyelabegan B Rasaq
Mayhap, Edwin Hamilton had foreseen a group like Ilorin Emirate Youth Development IEYDA when he, in 1994, defined community development as a process to engage in politics, leadership, power attainment, group dynamics, learning, and social change.
Created in 2014, the indigenous group is a socio-cultural group that has been nurturing youths from across the five local councils – with over sixty wards – that formed the Ilorin Emirate.
The primary responsibilities of the group range from empowering youth, alleviating poverty among couples and widows, creating job opportunities, to promoting peace and unity among the sons and daughters of the Emirate.
The group’s contribution to the growth of the state economy and communities across the Ilorin territory with unquantifiable achievement has made other groups join forces with it.
Ever since the establishment of the non-partisan and non-governmental association, It has organized several poverty alleviation programs, skill acquisition schemes, empowering youth events, and launched an intelligence report to forestall security challenges either individually or with the support of other sister bodies.
It would be recalled that IEYDA provided emergency food items in response to the yearning of vulnerable people within the Emirate, cash donation for small-scale business owners.
In recognition of the usual provision of succumbing to the less privileged, the Kwara State Government named IEYDA as a member of its committee on COVID-19 Palliative and likewise that of the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Zulu Gambari.
As part of its responsibility, the group also reconciled the rift between the blue-eyed Risqot and her husband Abdulwsiu and empowered Risqot’s husband during the group 6th empowerment program held to mark the 25th years of Emir of Ilorin enthronement.
The group also facilitated empowerment for hundreds of graduates who are yet to get employment. And to set the record straight, it has empowered over ten thousand indigenes as well as residents of Ilorin Emirate.
The frequent visit of the group to hospitals, cemetery, markets, and even correctional center to show the heart of love to the inmates had drawn it an edge above others.
It is however not out of place to say that the group is moving in line with its core values of providing technical and financial assistance to the less privilege and promoting the Ilorin Emirate rich cultural heritage.
Aiyelabegan Babatunde AbdulRasaq is the CEO of Just Events Online Publications. He writes from Agbaji, Ilorin.
