BY SAM OTUONYE
“There is immense power when a group of people with similar interests gets together to work towards the same goals. One of the most important things you can do on this earth is to let people know they are not alone.” (Idowu Koyenikan)
The above quote by the renowned author, Koyenikan, is a direct allusion to community living and its earthly essence about development and ancillary nuances.
Community development is a process where community members take collective action on issues that are important to them, which are not one-off events but enjoy a stream of sustainability. It creates community safety, increases community cohesion, improves environmental sanitary well-being, and reduces social isolation.
For instance, Ejeh Street, a neighborhood community located at Olympic Layout, Upper One-day Road, Enugu, Enugu State, came together in the year 2022, to form a union of residents, christened; Ejeh Street Residents’ Forum, with a clear mandate to do three significant things: Security, Road maintenance, and general environmental sanitation.
The word community is central to the human experience. Being part of an engaging community gives us a sense of belonging. It enables us to share personal relatedness and support the perpetual growth of each other, ourselves, and our environment. When community development is effective, there is less crime, social harmony, security, and an overwhelming sense of belonging. Community development reduces problems and increases opportunities for the growth and well-being of the residents.
Ejeh Street community efforts sit comfortably well on these benefits. Since the creation of the Ejeh Street Residents’ Forum, a lot of social and environmental renewal has taken place. The residents have organized themselves into a water-tight union of brotherhood, where peace, love, empathy, sympathy, and brotherliness fester daily.
The residents have charted sustainable development goals that have given birth to the installation of street solar lights, regular access road maintenance with stones and laterite, and clearing of weeds and debris within the environment. They set ground rules against indiscriminate dumping of refuse and inappropriate street gardening. They developed a security surveillance model that is unique to them with a cutting-edge intelligence component. And it is working perfectly well for them. All these are executed with communal free-will contributions laced with enthusiasm and forthrightness.
No wonder, former American President, John F. Kennedy, in his inaugural speech posited historic and inspiring words, challenging Americans to support the American government by participating in the developmental strides of their country as individuals, groups, communities, corporations, and entities. “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country,” the sage advised. This is a call for civic action and public service. It is a call for everyone to contribute in some way and contribute to the public good.
Ejeh Street residents have demonstrated this in no mean measure. They meet every last Monday of the month, utilizing the ‘Sit-at-home’ mood in the state, to discuss issues affecting their community and proffering solutions thereto. Their impact goes beyond the immediate environs as they are hatching lofty packages to extend charity to the poor and needy in society, in a bid to increase the smiles on their beautiful faces. This year, they have earmarked St. Gabriel Catholic Church, Precious Junction, One-day Road, for a thanksgiving service, to praise the name of the Lord for all year-round prosperity, protection, and divine assistance, with the grand finale of an end-of-year party, a lavish event that witnesses sumptuous cuisines and juicy drinks.
As the year 2023 draws to a close, the Forum has taken stock of issues, events, programs, and milestone achievements recorded, setting its mind on elevating the bar in the coming years, as the Spirit of God directs.
It is indeed, a strategic milieu worthy of emulation by other street neighborhoods in Olympic Layout and elsewhere, as by so doing, the development would converge and extend to all cities, with or without the state.