October 4, 2017
Ladies and gentlemen, we have our ‘fathers and senior
colleagues’ on this platform with us. They have not left us, the younger generation,
to our fate. They have responded to the call of duty and service and are here with
us, likewise colleague friends and family. With all protocols observed, and for
the purpose of this address, we would refer to ourselves as Comrades.
In the events
of 1 Samuel 17:28-30 which happens to be the beginning of the end of Goliath,
David said in verse 29, and I quote “…Is there not a cause?” In our state of need,
we join David in asking the same question: Is there not a cause? Why do we have
to disturb the peace of our senior colleagues when they have already paid their
fair share of social responsibility to our communities? Why do we take time off
our busy schedules as young people to think about our community and the
heritage bequeathed to us by our ancestry when the world out there is not
waiting for us; when it appears that everyone is for himself and God is for us
all? Our Goliath stares us in the face at every turn, both as young people and
as old folks alike. It stares the faces of our parents who have laboured to
provide for our comfort. Our Goliath continually whip the fatherless, the
orphaned, the disabled, the uneducated, and most importantly, the less
privileged! Our Goliath manifests in
several forms: from armed robbery menace to poor sanitation and healthcare. As
a people, none of us have escaped the debilitating effects of our presently underdeveloped
state. Of course, there is a Cause! The development of the Deg people is the
cause. It is this noble cause that bids us to come together to collectively
define and change our destiny as Deg People.
Friends, our history is replete with instances when men
and women have offered themselves up for the greater good of our Dega
community. We have examples of our kinsmen who did physical battle; those that
served the community with their knowledge and abilities; those that assume the
path of litigation in the interest of our community; those that championed our
renaissance; the torch bearers that championed education, healthcare and so
forth. We are not the first people in the scheme of things to offer ourselves
to serve our community. And we would not be the last. In every age, the NEED is
different, but the resource requirement has always been the same: Human
Capital. But never in history has the Dega community had so exceptional human
resource; very talented, capable and accessible men and women; diverse in
knowledge, skills and abilities than our current generation. The proof is not
too far from us. In just one weekend, over a hundred scholars joined this
WhatsApp platform!
We would not be drawn into the age old controversy
of whether or not the present generation is better than the older generation.
In responding to a question regarding the subject matter, the wisest of
philosophers posed this question and answer series (See Shnayer Z. Leiman, Dwarfs on the Shoulders of Giants, Tradition,
Spring 1993):”Who sees farther, a dwarf or a giant? Surely a giant for his
eyes are situated at a higher level than those of a dwarf. But if the dwarf is
placed on the shoulders of the giant who sees farther? Surely the dwarf, for
now the eyes of the dwarf is situated at a higher level than those of the
giant. So too as dwarfs we astride the shoulders of giants. We master their wisdom and move beyond it.
Due to their wisdom we grow wise and are able to say all that we say but not
because we are greater than they”” In a similar circumstance, Isaac Newton (1676)
said “if I have seen far, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants”. We
recognise the immense insight that our senior colleagues, Traditional Authorities
and great political leaders can bring to this noble table, hence ‘our belief that
we are dwarfs on the shoulders of giants’. It will take the wise counsel of the
older generation, and the youthful energy of our youth to bring about the
change that we so much desire.
We believe you have read the introductory (Concept)
note as well as the proposed phasing of the development agenda. You would
recall from the introductory note that, the Dega development agenda shall be
championed by “individuals – drawn from
among the Dega community, academia, the
business community, clergy, politicians, public and civil service, students,
people with expertise in agriculture, etc - who understand that development
is not a chanced event, but a required obligation to act to bring about
development to Degbwe in the not-too distant future” You would further
recall that “these individuals would
reach out to the rest of Degbwe with a roadmap to development- a roadmap borne
out of extensive teamwork, research and consultation, - and these individuals
would work to garner the support of stakeholders and Dega towards the
achievement of the development agenda”. Two parameters are defined by the
above reference: The people and their role. You and I are the people; and our
role in this initial endeavour is well defined above. It means therefore that,
our presence or absence on this WhatsApp platform does not so much matter as
our commitment to duty. For only 254 people can be on this platform at a time,
but there are a thousand and one Dega scholars.
As already noted, the phasing of the development
agenda is but a PROPOSAL only. It represents the proposed form and direction
the development agenda should take as envisioned by the originators. It may be
altered, amended, or improved, but whatever new direction we choose to take
should keep the end result in mind. The rationale for the proposed phasing is
that;
·
We
need educated Dega people, such as gathered on this platform to champion the
cause, and to reach out to our various communities. We are thus expected to work
together to garner the support of various stakeholders out there in our home communities.
·
the entirety of the Dega people should be
involved in determining what constitutes development, and the form of development
we want in Degbwe; and
·
It
is only through scientific research that we can identify what as well as the
form of development required at Degbwe, and what interventions should be
designed to respond to the need.
As the stakeholder database continues to grow in the
preliminary data collection phase, we need to gear ourselves up for a
preliminary sensitization exercise in Degbwe. Suggestion as to its form, timing
and duration is needed to make it work. We can then use the preliminary data to
guide the research work ahead of us. Several roles shall become available to be
filled to make our endeavour a success. That is why we are all encouraged to
provide as much information as possible about our skills and abilities. For
example, it is not enough to simply state that one is say, a pharmacist. If the
one can read and write Deg Language for instance, then it is a capability worth
recording. In the same way, if one is an educationist, and is a good
communicator too, then it would be beneficial to make it known in order to
assist our community entry effort.
Friends, we are over a hundred and fifty on this
platform. Thanks to your support, it has been an overwhelming success bringing
together the vast array of professionals across Degbwe. Our number is only a
tip of the iceberg, but that is just what we need to start. We cannot afford to
wait any longer, lest we find ourselves swimming in the pool of analysis
paralysis. We need to make progress while we have the opportunity to do so. Colleagues,
you would agree that, there would be instances when we would disagree. Those
instances should not lead to severed relationships. Constructive conflicts are
beneficial, and in most cases they provide avenues for critical analysis of
options and ideas; and have been the causes of several innovations. When we
disagree, we are only being human. For the purposes of moderation of
discussions, we would propose a formal leadership structure. The structure
would be put up for discussion, and once adopted, it would be implemented on
our WhatsApp platform only.
We would also like to draw attention to the fact
that the Dega Development Agenda is NOT
intended to be a formally registered entity. At best, it is to be seen as a
project, a key deliverable of which is the establishment of a Programme
Implementation Unit (PIU), a formal organisation to kick-start the
implementation of the various interventions that shall be identified by the
research. This Dega Development Agenda, as a project, would be disbanded when
the vision is realised. As such only the PIU may need to be registered. But we
are not there yet. Please feel free to propose any change you deem necessary
for deliberations.
We need every
individual or entity in this adventure we have set ourselves for; politicians, Chiefs,
Assembly Members, the clergy, etc. Consequently, it’s important to remember
that each category of people could be an asset or a liability depending on how
we relate to them in this exercise. We would therefore appeal to individuals to
be circumspect in how we all use this platform. Candidly, the Dega Development
Agenda is not a political
organisation. It is not a cultural
organisation. It is not a government
agency. It is not a pressure group. It
is not an NGO. It would however need
the support of all these listed organisations to realise its overarching goal.
Let the politicians, the Clergy, the chiefs, the Assemblymen, etc., not neglect
to do their calling, but let us also recognise and respect the neutrality of
the platform and what it represents.
Friends, like God
delivered Goliath into the hands of David, may this same God smile on our
collective efforts and deliver development into our hands; and into the hands
of our sons and daughters. Together we shall rise and succeed.
Thank you.
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