FELT NEED, A PROPELLING FORCE TOWARDS COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

[THE NEED TO INVOLVE THE NEGLECTED BUT MOST VIBRANT WOMEN GROUP]

The concept of felt need as a propelling force towards community development has been seen by various scholars as an essential factor geared towards development in the community.

                The idea of need arises from the lack of something which in the opinion of the people would facilitate the improvement of the welfare of the community if it had been present. The awareness of  need arises from dissatisfaction with the way people are living and the urge to induce desirable change to improve their living. Hence anything which may be considered essential or paramount to the community is regarded as felt need. A need therefore represent an imbalance between what is and what ought to be in the living condition of the community.

                When the felt need of the people has been identified, the zeal to realize such need or solve such problem becomes a propelling force geared towards development. Development in essence is a type of social change in which new ideas are introduced into a social system to enhance the living condition of the people. Rogers [1960-1992]. Julius Nyerere [1978]. A politician, a great educator and one time president of Tanzania maintained that development is summed up as mans capacity to expand his own consciousness and therefore his power over himself, his environment and his society. To him man is the central pivot around which development revolves. Hence he concluded that development is for man, by man, and of man. This means that man is not only the recipient or the beneficiary of development efforts but must also initiate the effort to develop himself.

                The process of development also implies the perception of a problem or what is termed the peoples felt needs, which normally generate felling of worry. This worry then becomes a driving force propelling the people to move on the path of solving it.

                In essence, community development is conceived as the ability for the community to identify their most pressing need or felt need and work collectively as a group, pulling their resources together to solve such problem. The overall aims of community development are to improve the social economic and political well-being of the people.

Every body living within the community must participate in the effort of achieving their objectives. All action groups within the community, like the elders, youth and the women

groups must organize themselves together in order to be able to contribute freely, their own quota towards the development of the well being of their people.

The women group has been identified as one of the most passionate and effective group in the community, and the society as a whole. Their effort towards achieving the felt need of their people, is phenomenon and remarkable.

Despite their effort, it becomes so obvious that they (the women) have not been fully integrated or empowered. Into organizing programs aimed at elevating the standard of living of their people.

The women have not fully been given opportunity to display to the people what they can actually do best.

This in exposure of women has not essentially allowed them to exhibit to the people that as women, they have important role to play to promote the economic stability of their locality and the nation, in-general.

The general view of the women is, if women are fully mobilize, and given the clout (authority) to operate independently with all the required assistance, they will be able to identify the peoples felt need which will enable them to know the appropriate program to organize in order to meeting the people one on one and attending to their individual problems successfully.

Such integration of women into community development programs will bring out the potentials in our women. This will give them joy as they are no more given the impression of being inferior.   

This will in no doubt be very easy for them to achieve as they are more concern about the welfare of their immediate environment, community and family. Base on this resolve, any program geared towards emancipating their people from sufferings will be well embraced by them.

                People living within the community must first, identify their felt need and established  a way of solving  it, if their effort is made visible to the Government, the government will in turn understand that the community has taken a step and then induced  some sought of help to  complement their effort. This comes as grants. It is a truism that government ought to provide the need of the community but we must also consider the fact that the work, duties and function of the Government is also very much that it might not reach out to all communities in need. Therefore, instead of waiting on the Government, the people living within the community, should come together and collectively pull their effort and resource together to achieve their desired goal.

This is exactly what GOFTA WOMEN are doing.

INTRODUCTION TO STEPS AHEAD OF OTHERS

         The general ideas, cardinal objectives and the tabular resolve by the Gofta Groups to be an independent group devoid of political affiliation or rather religious inclination is a welcome development in a world that is engulfed with falsehood and vainglorious promises. Their beautiful magazine is well nurtured for the Nigeria populace and intellectually blessed with people of like minds. In the words Thomas vanclux in 1644 AD. He said, his literature has given light to the dreams of the people, meaning into their visions and action into conception.

This assertion and depiction is actually likened to what Gofta magazine, in their short stay of publication has succeeded in doing to generality of the people who wait impatiently monthly for this beautiful publication to come out earnestly.

            Gofta world Group as an entity has come to stay. The respect accorded farmers by the group is pari-passu to the same cardinal objectives of NAPPMED Group. The National Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers Ugbighoko Branch, is un-equivocally proud to be associated with this Gofta group.

            In the words of Daniel Fuller Rose “ I prefer to have able bodied men, intellectuals and genius around me in the dinner table of like minds, body and soul” in my 52 years of existence, I have never seen a group like Gofta who believes in salvaging the down trodden in our society at large, who conserve their effort, energy and technical know how to facilitate and enhancing the wide spread of cassava farming and the production of garri for consumption and exportation; as a means of dissuading people from the 100% concentration on crude oil.

            I Osakue Imarheagbe Frank, my candid advice to other group is that Gofta is a truly accredited and registered co-operative Society with a concretized aims and objectives. Their ideas are spelt out in their code of conduct, norms and ethics are defined without Tabular Rasa.

            No justification for any body to hide under this Gofta Groups to seeking for or aids from the government as the taste of the honey is in the leaking. God knows that the sky is their limit in their pursuit of their cardinal and constitutional lay down objective.

THE ROLE OF CO-OPERATIVE SECTOR IN NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

        The co-operative movement is a great adherent to these cherished universal human values. For due to the nature of co-operation, it provides the avenues for peaceful coexistence, service to others and self-help in the various sectors of the economy

When co-operatives are properly encouraged, and efficiently operated, they could take care of most of the needs of the general public.

There are productive in all the branches of agriculture:- (Crops, live stocks, fisheries, forestry), the inputs supply and distribution, the marketing of agricultural produce and other essential commodities. If the co-operatives are encouraged by the government as recommended, this will create an avenue for them to have sound confidence in starting up as earlier suggested.

FADAMA, THE REAL GAME

This is a review of an occasion held in 2008. What is Fadama III fate in Edo as of March 2012?

Another memorable occasion for the  farmers of Ovia North East Local Government, Edo State was held on Thursday  15^th October, 2008 ion the conference Hall of the Head of Service of Ovia North East Local Government Area Okada. At about 11.07am one of the facilitators of the Fadama 111 programme in Okada Mr Okoduwa came in to address the audience of about 48 farmers already present then that the World Bank Consultant we are expecting has arrived. But that she is currently with the local government chairman Hon. Fosten Ovierhienba to inform him of her presence in the local government and to know how far the local government is prepared for the kick off of the programme.

            At exactly 12. 24pm, the facilitators of the  program in  Okada, the HOD Agriculture Mr. Sunny Erhunmwenosere, Mr James Aiyetan, Hon. Peter Osifo and the World Bank Consultant Mrs. Airuja Muhammed walk in right to the hall where others have been waiting. The HOD Mr. Bright Umweni immediately swung into action by introducing the dignitaries present and telling all the reasons for the gathering. Mr Peter Osifo said the opening prayer.

            After enlightening the farmers present and informing them the reason they should believe in the authenticity of the scheme by Mr. Sunny Erhunmwenosere, the World Bank Consultant present Mrs. A. Muhammed was given the opportunity to educate the Fadama III cooperatives already formed of the need to do their work by also registering these cooperatives already form into a cooperative Union in order to enhance the quick delivering of the material to the zone. This one becomes a thing of urgency because the Fadama program will officially kick of in the state by November1^st 2008. Based on this fact, all cooperatives in any of these zones must come together and register into cooperative union. The certificate is to get to the local government secretariat at most, before 31^st of October 2008.

The metamorphosing of these resolute Fadama III farmers, co-operative Societies to Fadama III farmer’s co-operative Union is to enhance the quick facilitating of the World Bank assisted projects in the State.

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When ask how the groups will benefit; and what confident do the groups that make up the body should have towards having equal right in the Union was ask, the consultant made it clear that to the audience that it must be members from each of the co-operative that make up the executives of the Union. In order that each of the villages involve should have equal share. She also explained to the Fadama farmers in each zone to make sure the positions is scattered amongst all the co-operatives in the zone. She specifically stressed the need why the secretary, President and treasurer must not be drawn from one centre.

She says; following these lay down principle will enhance flexibility among the various unions to be formed in the local government area.

She explained to every farmers present in that meeting that, the various co-operative Unions must have members representing it in the Co-operatives that make up the Unions. She advised that the Unions must be registered in time in order to benefit from this assistance.

The Fadama community Associations that were represented in that meeting are;

1.       Okada- osaokha F.C.A

2.       Ogbese Ovia F.C.A

3.       Unuamen Ovia F.C.A

4.       Ekenwan River F.C.A

In order to enhance the authentication of these Unions, women must be clutch along equally.

Mrs. Aiyedun, the president of Okada-Osaokha F.C.A was used by the consultant as a group that has meet up the standard of the World Bank. Because, the male in the group share equal right in power with the opposite sex. This shows flexibility in that association.

Finally, she encouraged all present not to be lazy; as no lazy persons or groups will benefit from the scheme.