By Rukayat Adeyemi
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Wednesday continued in its visit to royal fathers in Lagos State, to reconcile the inter-tribal crisis that emanated during the general elections.
Mr Garba Abari, Director-General, NOA, at his visit to the Olu of Ikeja Land in Lagos, said that the delegation was to meet with community leaders and sue for peace among the tribes and residents of the state.
Abari commended the Regent of Ikeja Land, Mr Isiaka Apena, for the warm reception accorded to the delegation and his willingness to partner with the peace mission, in line with religious and cultural persuasion.
He explained that there were lots of issues within the state and across the country before, during and after the election, which some naysayers had thought would break the country.
The director general said the development prompted the move by NOA to wade into the matter by appealing to all aggrieved groups to embrace peace to foster progress in the country.
The NOA boss said, “We are happy that despite all the negative predictions by the naysayers, we were able to have an election that was characterised by reduced violence.
“Although, there is no perfect election all over the world, the election was open, a winner had emerged from the process and those who are aggrieved have gone to court to seek redress, in line with the constitution.”
According to him, leaders, parents and character moulders must rise up to preach messages of peace and reconciliation to their followers to sustain peace and progress in the country.
Abari said, “Nigeria is the largest democratic black nation and market on earth. Hence, it is our collective responsibility to make it work, for every black man to be proud of.”
He appealed to the Regent to continue to play the role of a peace builder and spread the gospel of unity across every tribe in its community, vis-a-vis the state and nation, in line with his constitutional responsibility.
In his response, Apena, the Regent of Ikeja, commended NOA for embarking on the peace mission, towards unifying the state and the country at large.
Apena noted that Ikeja is a relatively peaceful environment, all the tribes within the community live in one accord and no cris was recorded during the last general elections.
“There was no crisis in Ikeja during the election because all the tribes in the community live as one.
“We have Hause dominating Allen-Avenue area, the Igbos are in Oluwu Market and we all have a cordial relationship,” he said.
The Regent, however, pledged to support NOA in its mission by preaching the gospel of peace to all the traditional leaders within its jurisdiction and the community members, to unify the state and country at large.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NOA team had visited his Highness, Eze Nwachukwu, Ezendigbo of Lagos and Alhaji Kabiru Garba, Sarki Hausawa of Lagos State, on April 12, in the same vein. (NAN)
