Alaafin of Oyo calls for unity, warns against ethnic divisions

By Adejayan Gbenga –

The Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, has called on politicians and citizens alike to rise above ethnic and sectional sentiments and embrace pragmatic solutions to Nigeria’s pressing challenges.

In a message marking the country’s 65th Independence Anniversary, delivered through his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, Oba Owoade emphasized that national growth and development depend on justice, moral integrity, responsibility, selflessness, probity, and devotion to duty by both leaders and citizens.

The monarch stressed the need to harness Nigeria’s diversity as a source of strength, warning that failure to do so risks pushing 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.

Highlighting longstanding structural challenges, the Alaafin pointed to issues such as fear 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 challenges have evolved over time and 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, Oba Owoade recalled that the amalgamation of the Southern and Northern protectorates in 1914 brought together diverse peoples into one political space. Despite the challenge of diversity, the colonial administration and early leaders, including Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, and the Sardauna of Sokoto, worked to foster unity through policies that promoted cultural, political, and economic ties.

The Alaafin lamented the erosion of national values over time, contrasting the self-sufficiency of past governments with the present-day reliance on external borrowing amid widespread socio-economic challenges. He urged Nigerians to revive values such as honesty, integrity, religious tolerance, and good neighborliness.

He further warned against the greed and exploitation of selfish political elites and encouraged parents to instill in their children the belief in the inherent goodness of Nigerians.