Gwain Colbert Fulai
12 May 2008
The recently floated Northwest Development Organisation NOWEDO, which by all intends and purposes replaces the now irrelevant Northwest Development Partnership, NOWEDEP, fulfils the ambitions and aspirations of a majority of Northwesterners.
NOWEDO, an idea broached some years ago by Ntumfor Nico Halle and fine-tuned over the last nine months by mainstream Northwest journalists, is not only necessary but inevitable. The logic and necessity of this must be seen against the background of what is happening in other provinces and above all; of what has gone wrong with the Northwest as a province.
By igniting this momentum, Ntumfor Nico Halle and by extension, Northwest journalists were articulating the concerns and aspirations of Northwesterners who since 2003, had longed for an umbrella organisation to canalize and harmonise development efforts in the province.
The choice of an umbrella organisation could not have been evaded for, as concerned Northwesterners, they had to be alive to the demands of responsibility. The hitch free and spectacular launch of the outfit confirmed Rev. Bernard Etta's view that what the world needs today, are men of revelation, inspiration and vision.
The recent event demonstrated in detail that such men are not in short supply in the Northwest as today, it has somebody doing what others thought can only be possible tomorrow.
Emerging realities demand a change of perception and consciousness in development efforts. Because our various village development associations lack relevant expertise and a broad vision capable of accommodating the needs of the entire province, the need for an umbrella organisation was urgent and justified.
NOWEDO therefore is challenged to become a locomotive for the promotion of balanced development in the entire province.Despite being launched in May, NOWEDO remains an Easter season idea.
That is a season for new beginnings; a season for rebirth; and most importantly, a season for new enterprise. NOWEDO would have to learn from previous failed ventures and to build on the experiences of the village development associations whose contributions to the development of our province reflect the diversity of our rich political, cultural, and religious traditions.
These village development associations also indicate the differences in the approach of attaining sustainable development in the province, yet another lesson NOWEDO needs to learn.
For NOWEDO to succeed in its task, it must redouble efforts in fostering a sense of belonging while Northwesterners, on their part, must resist the temptation of manipulating one another. The Northwesterners' sense of reserve, their adaptability when a way is shown (like NOWEDO), and their fraternalism, must continue to be the defining characteristic.
Extreme voices will continue to be heard in our society but these suggest the need for tolerance and accommodation rather than confrontation.As a new strategy designed to respond to today's challenges, NOWEDO is also Ntumfor's idea about what the rest of us, even with little means, can do to shape history.
But in pursuing this goal, however lofty it is, we must realize that the right of people to be different must be recognized not just as a legal philosophical or political principle, but also as the cornerstone upon which the Northwest depends; without which it is are poorer.
Without expecting NOWEDO to perform miracles, it is reasonable to suggest that, we do everything to foster a sense of belonging. NOWEDO owes it to our people, and our children, not to make mistakes.
It is time to come out of our emotional cocoons and face the raw facts of our existence. It serves no use, as we saw in a recent Watchdog Newspaper, accusing individuals or groups of callous ambition of lust for power. We could be more gentlemanly in the Northwest. That again is development.
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