Oct 1: How Nigeria can stay united – Alaafin
The Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, has urged Nigerians to rise above ethnic, sectional, and religious differences, emphasizing the need for pragmatic solutions to the country’s myriad challenges.
Delivering a message on Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary through his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, Oba Owoade highlighted that national development relies on justice, moral integrity, responsibility, selflessness, probity, and devotion to duty by both leaders and citizens.
The monarch stressed that Nigeria’s diversity should be harnessed as a source of strength, warning that failure to do so could push the country toward disintegration. “As a people, we must judge our fellow Nigerians not by their ethnic origins but by the content of their character,” he said.
Oba Owoade also pointed to structural challenges affecting the nation, including fears of dominance by certain states, over-concentration of power, absence of integrative national parties, lack of public accountability, and inequitable revenue allocation. He noted that these long-standing issues now pose serious threats to peace and security.
“Ethnic, sectional, and religious diversities ought to serve as sources of national unity, cohesion, and integration. Unfortunately, political elites have often manipulated these identities for personal gain,” he added.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s historical journey, the Alaafin recalled that the 1914 amalgamation of Southern and Northern protectorates brought diverse peoples into one political space, adding that despite the challenge of diversity, early leaders including Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, and the Sardauna of Sokoto worked to foster unity through policies promoting cultural, political, and economic ties.
The monarch lamented the erosion of national values over time, contrasting the self-sufficiency of past governments with today’s reliance on external borrowing amid socio-economic challenges.
He urged Nigerians to revive values such as honesty, integrity, religious tolerance, and good neighborliness, while warning against greed and exploitation by selfish political elites.
He further encouraged parents to instill in their children the belief in the inherent goodness of Nigerians, emphasizing that the future of the nation depends on nurturing responsible, ethical citizens.
