The Journey Begins: Ife LGs Set for Inauguration of GNA CAA Governance Committees

The Great Nigerian Assembly (GNA) is set to inaugurate members of the Ife Local Governments Coverage Area Administrator (CAA) Governance Model Committees on Saturday, October 24, 2026, marking the beginning of the implementation phase of its citizen-driven governance initiative in Ife Central and Ife East Local Government Areas.

The inauguration will take place live online at 10:00 a.m. Chicago time and 4:00 p.m. Nigeria/London time, allowing Nigerians at home, members of the diaspora and participants around the world to witness the event.

The Advisory Council will be chaired by His Imperial Majesty, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, Ooni of Ife and Arole Oduduwa.

The inauguration represents the transition of the GNA CAA Governance Model from planning and preparation to structured grassroots implementation.

Its message is simple:

The Journey Begins.

A New Approach to Citizen Participation

The GNA CAA Governance Model is built on the principle that community development requires the participation of citizens alongside government and other stakeholders.

The initiative provides a structured framework through which citizens can observe conditions within their communities, document infrastructure and development issues, verify information, engage relevant stakeholders and contribute to solutions.

The model is non-political, non-governmental, non-religious and people-driven.

Rather than limiting citizen participation to complaints, the initiative seeks to create systems through which concerns can be properly documented, followed up and measured.

Ife Central and Ife East Take the Lead

The implementation of the model in Ife Central and Ife East is intended to provide a practical template that can be refined and expanded to other Local Government Areas.

Months of planning, consultation, technology development, stakeholder engagement and training have preceded the inauguration.

A key milestone has been the training and certification of the first 30 GNA Certified Citizen Reporters (CCRs) for the Ife LGs.

The CCRs are being prepared to support grassroots documentation and reporting, particularly in areas such as infrastructure, public services and community development.

Preparations are also underway for the training of another 50 prospective Certified Citizen Reporters, expanding the grassroots capacity available to the programme.

Building a Governance Ecosystem

The October 24 inauguration will bring together several interconnected structures.

The Advisory Council, chaired by the Ooni of Ife, will provide high-level guidance and institutional support.

The CAA Governance Committees will coordinate activities at the Local Government level.

Five Special Development Committees will focus on key areas of community development: Infrastructure, Agriculture, Health, Security, and Youth Empowerment & Education.

The Ward Manager structure will take citizen engagement closer to communities, with up to three Ward Managers expected in each ward.

The Certified Citizen Reporters will support the documentation and reporting of conditions and developments at the grassroots.

Together, the structures are designed to create a system through which community issues can be identified, documented, verified, escalated and followed up.

From Complaints to Documentation

A central feature of the CAA Governance Model is structured documentation and performance tracking.

Issues involving abandoned infrastructure, deteriorating public facilities, inadequate services and unfulfilled commitments are often discussed by citizens but may not be systematically documented or monitored.

The GNA model seeks to provide a framework for changing that pattern.

Through Citizen Reporters, Ward Managers, professional committees and the technology platform supporting the initiative, community issues can be captured and followed over time.

The objective is not confrontation with government, but constructive engagement, evidence-based accountability and collaboration between citizens and those responsible for public service delivery.

The underlying principle is that accountability becomes more effective when performance can be observed, documented and measured.

The Traditional Institution and Community Development

The involvement of the traditional institution through the Advisory Council chaired by the Ooni of Ife provides an additional layer of community leadership and guidance.

Traditional institutions continue to play important roles in preserving culture and history while serving as bridges among communities, public institutions, professionals, young people and other stakeholders.

The Advisory Council is expected to draw on the experience and professional contributions of distinguished individuals as the initiative develops.

This reflects the broader philosophy of the model: sustainable community development requires the participation of traditional institutions, professionals, young people, community leaders, diaspora communities and ordinary citizens.

IFE LGs NEWS

The inauguration will also feature the launch of IFE LGs NEWS, a weekly publication focused on developments in Ile-Ife and its environs.

The publication will report on community activities, projects, people, achievements, challenges and other issues of public interest.

It is expected to draw on the growing network of Certified Citizen Reporters and other contributors, creating an additional channel through which grassroots developments can receive wider attention.

For communities whose stories may receive limited coverage from mainstream media, IFE LGs NEWS is intended to bring local developments closer to the public.

Recognizing Community Impact

Another component of the initiative is the establishment of the LG Pacesetter Committee, which will begin preparations for the end-of-year Pacesetter Awards Ceremony.

The awards are intended to recognise individuals and organisations making notable contributions to their communities.

The initiative therefore seeks not only to identify areas requiring attention but also to recognise service, innovation, excellence and measurable community impact.

A Model Built Around Participation

The GNA CAA Governance Model is built around four closely connected objectives:

Citizen participation.

Performance tracking.

Community development.

Transparency and accountability.

Its long-term ambition extends beyond the inauguration and the two Local Government Areas where implementation is beginning.

The broader objective is to encourage a culture in which citizens recognise that nation-building is not solely the responsibility of political office holders.

While government has constitutional responsibilities, citizens also possess knowledge, professional expertise, networks and community experience that can contribute to development when properly organised.

This is the significance of the implementation in Ile-Ife.

It provides an opportunity to demonstrate how citizen concern can be transformed into organised participation, measurable engagement and sustainable community development.

October 24: The Journey Begins

When members of the various committees are inaugurated on October 24, they will not simply be assuming positions. They will be accepting responsibilities that will ultimately be measured by what happens after the ceremony.

The success of the model will depend on the infrastructure documented, communities engaged, development opportunities identified, public performance tracked, young people empowered, achievements recognised and constructive relationships established with those responsible for public service delivery.

That is why “The Journey Begins” is more than a theme.

The inauguration is not the destination.

It is the starting point.

For GNA, the implementation in Ife Central and Ife East provides an opportunity to demonstrate what organised, informed and responsible citizen participation can achieve at the grassroots and potentially provide a framework that can be adapted by communities across Nigeria.

Empowered Citizens. Accountable Leadership. Sustainable Development.

On Saturday, October 24, 2026, Ile-Ife takes another step in that journey.

Nigerians at home and across the diaspora are invited to witness the inauguration live online.

Saturday, October 24, 2026

10:00 a.m. — Chicago

4:00 p.m. — Nigeria/London

LIVE ONLINE — Watch Across the World

• GN (Dr.) Kayode (Kay) Elusoji

Executive Director, Great Nigerian Assembly (GNA)

Chairman, GNA TV & News · GNA Weekly · GNA

Global Pacesetter

Email: kayode.elusoji@greatnigerian.org