Itsekiri NextGen

Building the next generation of Itsekiri leaders

Summary Report on Pessu Community – Leadership Structure & Responsibilities

by · July 16, 2022

  • Itsekiri NextGen Project: 2022 Session 26 Report
  • Topic: Community Leadership; Pessu Community in Focus
  • Date: Saturday 09/07/2022 
  • Volunteers Present: 7
  • Total Number of Attendees: 64
  • Timings: 9:00am – 1:00pm
  • Venue: Former Caravan 4, Aja-Pessu (Pessu Town), Warri
  • Main Topic/Activity: Pessu Community – Leadership Structure & Responsibilities 
  • Resource Person: Hon. Emmanuel Egbe 

Summary

The 26th session of the 2022 Itsekiri NextGen project was focused on the Leadership of the Pessu community. This is to make the participants aware that they are a key component of the Pessu community leadership structure and have a responsibility to hold their tenured leaders accountable.

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Session Delivery

The session began with an opening prayer by Mr. Oritsetseundede Fregene, who also led a recap of the activities of last week. He admonished them never to overemphasize the importance of sport on their overall wellbeing.

Uwala Tedeye took them through the rudiments of leadership, which had been discussed with the participants in previous sessions.  The participants were asked to mention examples of leaders and the different attributes a leader should possess. They all answered correctly.

Hon. Emmanuel Egbe who is an immediate past Councillor of Pessu ward led the participants through the session. He made them know that the Pessu community is one of the communities in Warri South local government area. It is among the few communities that constitute the Warri urban area of today.

As the saying goes, a society without a leader is like a rudderless ship. In this vein, the Pessu community has three structures. These are;

  • Olare-Aja and his advisory council
  • The community executive council
  • The unit council and its executives. 

The Olare-Aja who happens to be the oldest man in the community is more like the overall leader in the community. The affairs and activities of the community are being reported to him. The present Olare-Aja is Barrister D.S.T.O Pessu who is currently a hundred years old.

 Pessu community executive council which is headed by the chairman has its executives as; 

  • Chairman
  • Vice chairman
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer
  • Public Relations Officer
  • Financial secretary
  • Provost
  • Organizer
  • Auditor

Other subcommittees which are answerable to the community chairman are;

  • Environmental Committee: This committee is in charge of the environment. They ensure that the people keep the environment clean and also dispose of their dirt appropriately.  The community environmental sanitation is held on the last Friday of the month.
  • Security and civil defence committee: Their duty is to ensure that there is law and order in the community.
  • Task force committee: the duty of this committee is to enforce the law. They act on the directives of the chairman.

Question and answer session

This aspect of the session was participants-led.

Besinfe Etuwewe asked in the process of choosing an Olare-Aja, two people are found to be of the same age, who will then be made the Olare-Aja?

Hon. Emmanuel Egbe answered that the date and month will single out the Olare-Aja. If they happen to be born on the same day as the case twins, the one that was born earlier that day will be given. In some critical cases, the matter is taken to the Olu of Warri and whomever he selects automatically becomes the Olare-Aja.

Other key activities during the session

Those who behaved unruly during the sports session at Warri township stadium came out to read their apology letters to everyone promising to be of good behaviour henceforth. This will serve as a deterrent to others. The letters were kept for reference purposes.

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