google.com, pub-3998556743903564, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 Town Development Union Should Be Community Specific

Town Development Union Should Be Community Specific

By Polycarp Onwubiko

Igbo people pioneered a community development organ that would assist then Eastern Regional Government that comprised Igbo areas before the Nigeria-Biafra war. Some Communities chose to name it "Town Development Union", while others say "Town Union, Town Welfare Union, etc

Communities deemed it proper to encourage their people living outside the community to form Branches of Town Union in the urban and semi urban towns and relate to the mother Town Union naturally situated in the community. After the war, state governments in Igbo land saw the need to streamline the functions of Town Union, and by extension, the General Murtala Muhammed's military regime's order to all the Communities in Nigeria to have traditional rulers. Consequently, state governments made Edicts on Town Union and Traditional Ruler respectively.

In the operation of the Town Union, it has been discovered that meeting scheduled for the middle year and end of the year in the community took great toll on the health and time of people because of delving into the matters from the usually numerous Branches of Town Union scattered all over the country. This unwarranted practice has to exasperation of attendees hence the incidence of reluctance in attendance.

Secondly, going by the vastness of many urban towns in Nigeria, it has constituted a disturbing stress and more importantly violation of Fundamental Human Rights of freedom of association to compel attendance to the Town Union Branches. More often people get involved in automobile accident while going and returning from branch meeting of the Town Union. Many faith-based organization express utter disgust at the rules and other practice of branches of Town Union that offend the practice of their faith.

Going by these stark reality of life in human organizations, it is necessary for Town Union to operate only in the Community. People of a community living abroad (urban towns, semi urban centers and oversees) should rename the Town Union Branches as "Association of indigenes of the community in whatever place they live and should be purely optional in membership.

This will enable people to go on with their physical and spiritual pursuit without harassment from the Community Town Union leadership. This has been causing trouble in Communities leading to blocking funeral and marriage ceremony. Making Town Union Community specific cannot prevent people from paying Town Union levies and making voluntary donation for community projects to raise the living standard of the people.

The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy matters, and community development should direct Town Unions to abolish branches of Town Union to lessen the drudgery in Town Union meeting during the mid and end of the year meeting. Organization needs dynamic rules to accord with developments in modern day and age. It is not in the interest of chairmen of branches of Town Union to travel hundreds of kilometers to the community for mid and end year meeting. Several lives have been lost in tragic circumstances on the road and civilized mindset would teach that such primitive rules should be abolished.

God gave Man brain to think and adhere to the dynamics of growth in the organization of society. Meeting of Town Unions in community take from 8am till 6pm while delving into the Town Union Branches. This practice has become outmoded and branches abolished.

Town Union Branches should be replaced with Association of indigenes in the urban towns should be optional; members would derive benefits therefrom while non-members should engage in whatever that would conduce to their Fundamental Human Rights of freedom of association in the Nigerian Constitution which is superior to any other rules and laws made by any group including Town Union, village and kindred meeting.

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