*CAN TWO WALK TOGETHER EXCEPT THEY AGREE?*

*Favour Adéwọyin*

November 12, 2025

Few days ago, I wrote about patriotism as the purest form of love — a love that demands sacrifice, commitment, and selflessness. True love for one’s people and region means giving our best to bring growth, progress, and development to our homeland. The elevation and success of our region should be our collective priority.

Sadly, what we have witnessed over the years shows that our passion for the genuine advancement of our region has been less than commendable. A few patriotic individuals have borne the burden, while many remain indifferent, complacent, or even obstructive. This attitude explains why Òkèògùn continues to lag behind.

In 1996, we lost a golden opportunity to have Òkèògùn State — an opportunity that slipped through our fingers because we allowed the love for our towns to outweigh the love for our region. We fought over which town should be the capital instead of embracing unity. We failed to realise that wherever the capital was located, it would still belong to us all. Consequently, Òkèògùn lost its chance, while Ekiti State was created on October 1, 1996.

Regrettably, history has not taught us enough. The frail thread of regional unity and patriotism has grown even weaker. Each time an opportunity comes our way, we relapse into the same old pattern of disunity. Before the establishment of the Federal University of Agriculture and Technology (FUNATO) in Òkehò, we witnessed needless rancour and division. Again, when discussions on state creation resurfaced, imaginary billboards flooded social media — each proclaiming a different Òkèògùn town as the proposed capital. 

We recently witnessed a rather amusing yet troubling spectacle: “Òkèògùn State, Òfìkì,” “Òkèògùn State, Ìtasá,” “New Ọ̀yọ́ State, Igbópẹ̀,” and “New Ọ̀yọ́ State, Budó-Músá.” On the surface, it might provoke laughter, but beneath that irony lies a painful truth — that as a people, we seem not to have learnt anything from history. Our inability to rise above petty rivalries and local sentiments continues to expose a chronic weakness in our collective resolve to pursue unity for the greater good of Òkèògùn.

For the sake of emphasis, these are clear symptoms of a people yet to learn from history and, if another opportunity arises tomorrow, we may still repeat the same destructive drama — fierce infighting, baseless rivalry, and the classic Yorùbá scenario described as: "Ìjà Àjàkú-Akátá" or "Àjàtúkà ní t’Àgbáàrín." 

Why can’t we speak with one voice? It is because we refuse to see things through a shared lens. Of course, total uniformity of thought is neither possible nor desirable — for if two people always think alike, one of them becomes unnecessary. God, in His infinite wisdom, designed us with diverse gifts, ideas, and temperaments. He is a God of diversity — yet also a God of unity — who endowed us with the ability to agree after we disagree.

Just as the human body comprises many different parts working together in harmony, so must a people with varied perspectives unite under a shared vision. This is what “unity in diversity” truly means. But unity is impossible without agreement — hence the timeless question: Can two walk together except they agree?

Our greatest deficit as a people is the power of agreement. More often than not, pride and ego stand in the way. True love for one’s region demands humility — the willingness to sacrifice personal pride for the greater good. Without humility, teamwork collapses.

The human body offers the perfect metaphor. For the body to function, every organ must make sacrifices — the eyes endure dust, the legs bear weight, and the heart labours unseen — yet all work together for one purpose. The same applies to any successful team: from a football squad chasing victory to the coordinated parts of an automobile making movement possible. Every functioning system thrives on agreement amid diversity.

That truth is echoed in a profound saying: “Without disagreement, life itself would be a monumental boredom. But no sane person will carry disagreement to a point of no return.”

Though the origin of this quote remains unverified — attributed variously to George Bernard Shaw and Chief Obafemi Awolowo — its wisdom is eternal. It reminds us that while disagreements are natural, reconciliation and cooperation are essential for progress.

Applying this philosophy to the Òkèògùn project, we must embrace teamwork — recognising the bigger picture before making decisions. Before any action, every true son and daughter of Òkèògùn should ask:

Will this decision advance the collective interest of our region?

Will it strengthen or weaken our unity?

If we all paused to consider the implications of our actions — whether in politics, elections, or public service — our region would not remain where it is today. Selling votes, neglecting civic duties, or promoting selfish interests at the expense of our people are betrayals of our collective destiny.

To our politicians: before you make a political move that elevates you but diminishes your region, pause and think again. Before hoarding resources or withholding support because things are not going your way, remember — genuine leadership is measured by one’s contribution to the common good.

As the wise Yorùbá saying goes: “Half a word is enough for an Ọmọlúàbí — the rest becomes full when he ponders upon it.”

Let us, therefore, rise above ego, embrace agreement, and walk together — for Òkèògùn can only advance when we agree to move as one.

*Pst. Favour Adéwọyin,*

National Secretary,

Ẹgbẹ́ Àjọṣepọ̀ Fún Ìtẹsiwájú Gbogbo Wa.