Why real unity among Nigerians is elusive –Alaafin
Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, has expressed concern that the seed of hatred has developed into a giant monster threatening to consume the country and its citizenry.
Oba Adeyemi made the observation at the weekend, while addressing journalists in his palace shortly after performing Eid-el-Kabir prayer at Agunpopo praying ground.
He said: “Our differences also define our perception of one another. The distrust is so deep-seated that we have an incongruent group of people, rather than compatriots with a shared destiny, our diversity has become our worst nightmare.”
The paramount ruler wondered why Nigerians’ relationship as the same citizens often exhibited the worst form of ethnic, religious and primordial prejudice toward one another.
This intolerance, he noted, had not only continuously led the people to the brink and threatened the country’s unity, but had also left deep scars in the national psyche.
“After more than 50 years of independence, we are still not more than strange bed fellows forced to cohabit under the same roof. Our co-existence as a people has long been defined by our differences, rather than the strength of our diversity,’’ the monarch said.
The Alaafin, who advocated aggressive value system re-orientation, warned that there would be continuous agitations and unrest until the country’s system was able to guarantee economic justice and equality to the people, stressing that poverty in the midst of plenty was unfathomable.
“What is more, the growing apathy about governance and increasing rate of poverty, especially at the grassroots is due to defective concept and implementation of local government administration in the country. The political, administrative and judicial powers of traditional rulers had been undermined, first by the British and then, the creation of local system of government, which made the monarchs powerless on-lookers.
“One of the greatest negative consequences of this whittling down of powers of traditional rulers is the non-involvement of traditional rulers in the concept and implementation of grassroots governance,’’ he said.
Oba Adeyemi insisted that due to their place and status among their people, traditional rulers were the only ones who could effectively mobilise people for active participation in community development.
Oba Adeyemi made the observation at the weekend, while addressing journalists in his palace shortly after performing Eid-el-Kabir prayer at Agunpopo praying ground.
He said: “Our differences also define our perception of one another. The distrust is so deep-seated that we have an incongruent group of people, rather than compatriots with a shared destiny, our diversity has become our worst nightmare.”
The paramount ruler wondered why Nigerians’ relationship as the same citizens often exhibited the worst form of ethnic, religious and primordial prejudice toward one another.
This intolerance, he noted, had not only continuously led the people to the brink and threatened the country’s unity, but had also left deep scars in the national psyche.
“After more than 50 years of independence, we are still not more than strange bed fellows forced to cohabit under the same roof. Our co-existence as a people has long been defined by our differences, rather than the strength of our diversity,’’ the monarch said.
The Alaafin, who advocated aggressive value system re-orientation, warned that there would be continuous agitations and unrest until the country’s system was able to guarantee economic justice and equality to the people, stressing that poverty in the midst of plenty was unfathomable.
“What is more, the growing apathy about governance and increasing rate of poverty, especially at the grassroots is due to defective concept and implementation of local government administration in the country. The political, administrative and judicial powers of traditional rulers had been undermined, first by the British and then, the creation of local system of government, which made the monarchs powerless on-lookers.
“One of the greatest negative consequences of this whittling down of powers of traditional rulers is the non-involvement of traditional rulers in the concept and implementation of grassroots governance,’’ he said.
Oba Adeyemi insisted that due to their place and status among their people, traditional rulers were the only ones who could effectively mobilise people for active participation in community development.
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