The InfoStride Forum

 Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Wednesday called for the fashioning out of a blueprint that would serve as a template for the actualization of the regional integration currently being pursued by the states in the South-West geo-political zone.

He made the call on Wednesday while speaking at the Oyo State Day at the South-West Grassroots Business and Investment Forum held at the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Osogbo, Osun State capital.  

The governor, who reiterated his state's commitment to the regional integration efforts in the South-West, however said that the exercise should not be political but purely economic so as to carry all the states along and enhance the all-round development of the region and its people.

While describing the regional integration efforts as "self help through mutual help'', said it should not be constrained by the capability or incapability of each of the participating states but that each state should concentrate on the area where it had competitive advantage.

"I also like to state that regional integration should serve as a pillar of protection to all member-states, stressing "an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us''.

Governor Ajimobi  said that all the states in the region must balance effectively.

"We must leave room for the aspiration of individual states. The primary reason for this regional integration effort is to achieve economic development.

"To achieve this therefore, we must see ourselves as one; we must ensure fiscal discipline in our individual states; we must appreciate the importance of non-politicization of our efforts and there must be mutual respect amongst us,'' he said.

The governor also said that if the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo could perform brilliantly as the Premier of the defunct Western Region such that he has continued to be relevant even up till today, there was nothing stopping the region being transformed economically through cooperation amongst the states in the region.

The Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, in his address, also explained the rationale behind the latest move by South West states to come together, saying that it was aimed at tapping and pulling together all the natural endowments and potentials that abound in the region for the development and growth of the people.

The Chairman of the occasion, Prince Bola Ajibola and former Governor of Oyo State, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, also threw their weight behind the integration efforts, saying that it would further project the region and impact positively on the socio-economic lives of its people.