Ijesaland
A decade of development led by unity, integrity and transparency.
Ijesaland is more than a geographical expression.
It is a people bound together by a rich history, a distinctive cultural identity, a proud heritage and a shared aspiration for a prosperous future.
For Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi, service to Ijesaland is therefore not simply an honour associated with a traditional title. It is a responsibility.
Since his installation as Asiwaju of Ilesa on 22 October 2016, and subsequently as Asiwaju of Ijesaland on 26 December 2020, he has devoted significant attention to initiatives designed to strengthen the unity, wellbeing, economic capacity and development prospects of Ijesaland.
His approach has been anchored on a simple philosophy:
- Identify the problem.
- Proffer the solution.
- Mobilise the stakeholders.
- Develop the implementation.
- Pursue the execution.
Over the years, this philosophy has translated into interventions and initiatives spanning infrastructure, education, healthcare, youth development, agriculture, security, economic empowerment, technology, social welfare, governance and community development.
9 months to build the Owa’s Palace.
10 months to build the Ijesaland Geriatric Centre
A Vision for One United Ijesaland
At the centre of Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi’s community leadership is the conviction that Ijesaland’s greatest strength lies in its people.
Traditional institutions, communities, professionals, business leaders, youths, women, development organisations and Ijesas in the diaspora all possess important resources and capabilities.
The challenge is to bring these resources together around common objectives.
This belief informed the establishment of platforms and initiatives designed to encourage collaboration across the six Local Government Areas of Ijesaland:
- Ilesa East
- Ilesa West
- Obokun
- Oriade
- Atakumosa East
- Atakumosa West
The objective is not development for one community at the expense of another.
It is the pursuit of One United Ijesaland, where every community has a stake in the development of the whole.
Building the Foundations of Development
Asiwaju’s interventions in Ijesaland have addressed both immediate challenges and long-term development needs.
They have included efforts to restore essential infrastructure, strengthen education, improve healthcare access, create opportunities for young people, support communities during emergencies, encourage responsible economic activity and establish institutions capable of sustaining development beyond individual projects.
The underlying approach is consistent:
Solve today’s problems while building the structures that make tomorrow better.
This distinction is important. Community development cannot depend entirely on emergency responses or the generosity of a few individuals.
It requires institutions, systems, partnerships, accountability and a culture of collective responsibility. That principle has informed many of the initiatives undertaken under Asiwaju’s leadership.
The Ijesa Community Development Assembly (ICDA)
One of the most important institutional initiatives associated with Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi is the Ijesa Community Development Assembly (ICDA).
Conceived as a foremost Pan-Ijesa development platform, ICDA was established to provide an institutional framework for collective action and socio-economic development across Ijesaland.
Its significance lies in the principle that the development of Ijesaland is a shared responsibility.
ICDA brings together traditional rulers, community leaders, professionals, business leaders, youths, women, development organisations and Ijesas in the diaspora to identify common challenges, mobilise resources and pursue initiatives capable of producing benefits across the wider community.
Its development interests include:
Education · Healthcare · Youth Empowerment · Infrastructure · Agriculture · Economic Development · Technology · Social Welfare
Through ICDA, the idea of community development is transformed from
A Collective Achievement
The story of development in Ijesaland during this period is not the story of one individual working alone.
The achievements have depended on the participation of Traditional Rulers, community leaders, professionals, societies and clubs, development institutions, private-sector organisations, philanthropists and the sons and daughters of Ijesaland at home and in the diaspora.
Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi’s role has frequently been that of a catalyst—conceiving ideas, mobilising stakeholders, facilitating partnerships, encouraging participation and pursuing execution.
The achievements therefore belong to a wider movement of people committed to the progress of Ijesaland.
The Ijesaland We Envision
The objective is not simply to look back at completed projects. It is to build upon them. The vision is of an Ijesaland that is:
United. Secure. Healthy. Educated. Economically vibrant.
Technologically connected.
Socially responsible.
Accountable.
Sustainable.
Ten Years of Service. A Foundation for the Future.
The first decade of Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi’s service to Ijesaland represents a body of work spanning institutions, infrastructure, education, healthcare, youth empowerment, agriculture, security, technology, economic development and community mobilisation.
But perhaps its most enduring contribution is the belief that Ijesaland possesses the people, resources and capacity to shape its own destiny when those strengths are organised around a common purpose.
The milestones recorded over the decade are therefore not simply a celebration of what has been accomplished.
They are a foundation for what remains to be done. The work continues.
The vision continues. And the aspiration remains constant:
One United Ijesaland — Safer, Healthier, More Prosperous, More Educated, More Connected and More Sustainable.
This is the commitment.
This is the journey.
This is Ijesaland.
Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi
Consultant · Educator · Community Leader
Chief Consultant, Supreme Management Training and Consultancy Services Ltd. President/CEO and founder, Ibadan Business School. Asiwaju of Ijesaland.