The Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba (Engr.) Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, on Tuesday called on Nigerian leaders to embrace justice, probity and inclusiveness in governance as the country marks its 58th Independence Anniversary.
In a release made available to journalists in Oyo by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, the monarch warned that Nigeria risks sliding into disintegration unless its leaders shun primordial sentiments and adopt pragmatic solutions to the nation’s challenges.
According to him, the growth and development of any nation depend on the values of justice, honesty, conscientiousness, devotion to duty and selflessness demonstrated by both leaders and citizens.
“National unity can only be achieved if we maximise the benefits of our diversity. We must judge our fellow Nigerians not by their ethnic origin but by the content of their character”, Oba Owoade said.
The Alaafin identified persistent challenges in Nigeria’s state-building process, including fears of dominance by one region, over-centralization of power, lack of consensus politics, weak accountability, inequitable revenue allocation, and absence of truly national political parties.
He warned that these issues, though longstanding, continue to threaten peace and security in new and violent ways.
The monarch lamented the decline in the nation’s value system and governance quality when compared to the era of Nigeria’s founding fathers such as Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Sir Ahmadu Bello, who he said prioritised education, infrastructure, employment and social welfare without resorting to external borrowing.
“Where are those legacies today? Why is it that despite huge external borrowings by present-day governments, citizens’ lives remain miserable? Where did we get it wrong?, he queried.
Oba Owoade also drew lessons from history, noting that the Old Oyo Empire once operated a cabinet system of government where ethnic and religious differences were subordinated to societal interests. He emphasized that honesty, integrity, tolerance and good neighbourliness. alues once held dearly, must be restored to national life.
He urged parents to inculcate moral discipline in their children and warned youths not to lose grip on traditions and customs, stressing that “a nation or tribe without custom is as good as a horde of gorillas ravaging the forest.”
The Alaafin cautioned against selfish politicians who exploit ethnic and religious divides for personal gain.
He called on Nigerians to see the good in one another and rise above ethnic chauvinism in order to preserve national unity.
 Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, on Tuesday called on Nigerian leaders to embrace justice, probity and){kind=link}