The Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Engineer Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has called for stronger collaboration among religious leaders, government institutions and civil society organisations to harness the contributions of faith-based institutions to national development.
The Alaafin made the call on Saturday in the ancient town of Oyo during the official commissioning of the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola Building and a fundraising ceremony for the construction of the Imam Daud Igi-Ogun Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies.
In a statement released by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, the monarch noted that religious institutions, which enjoy considerable trust within communities, have important roles to play in promoting social welfare, peacebuilding and climate action.
He stressed that integrating religious teachings with contemporary development frameworks could contribute significantly to addressing poverty, environmental challenges and social inequality.
Oba Owoade emphasised that unity in diversity must remain a defining principle of Nigeria, given the country’s rich ethnic, cultural and religious diversity.
“Accord, acceptance and understanding are necessary to counter conflictual division. Every so often, the camaraderie of Nigerians is tested by the very diversity that defines us,” the Alaafin said.
He further called for an end to negative stereotyping among Nigerians, urging citizens to embrace a shared national purpose.
“It is also pertinent that we need to begin to do away with negative stereotyping of ourselves as Nigerians. While negative stereotypes exist around the world, as a people, we need to come together as a nation and with a single voice on how to salvage our fatherland,” he said.
According to the monarch, genuine unity requires the willingness of members of a society to cooperate with one another for the common good.
“A full comprehension of unity speaks to the willingness of members of a society to cooperate with each other in order to thrive. In practice, unity in diversity includes accepting both agreement and disagreement; it leads to methods that embrace consensus while accepting contestation in ways that do not entertain far-reaching negative stereotypes that develop into enemy images,” Oba Owoade stated.
The Alaafin further maintained that Nigeria must continue to explore practical approaches to strengthening unity while preserving the distinctive identities of its various ethnic groups.
“In this country, we must continue to work towards exploring approaches to fostering unity in diversity, while embracing all the individualistic characteristics that make all the ethnicities of Nigeria parts of one whole.
“In order to live together across ethnic and tribal differences, it is essential for us to nurture that very important concept of unity in diversity by accepting the characteristics of every one of ‘us’. Unity in diversity, then, requires a recognition of unity without uniformity, and diversity without fragmentation,” he said.
The monarch also appealed to wealthy individuals and organisations to commit resources towards reaching vulnerable people and those whose faith in the saving power of God may be diminishing.
He acknowledged that despite criticisms directed at religion in some quarters, religious institutions remain important sources of hope and support for many people.
“It is still the sanctuary where the hopeless receive the ministration of hope. The present global condition, in all its acutely disturbing realities, reveals a world in need of dire divine intervention.
“It is a world where human efforts in providing relief and peace are increasingly becoming inadequate. The challenge, therefore, for those who bear the light of salvation is for them to reach out to the lost. This is one important duty that Islam and Christianity demand of adherents,” the Alaafin said.
Oba Owoade commended the Founder and Proprietor of the Islamic Institute, Sheikh Daud Igi-Ogun, for his peaceful and developmental initiatives in his country home, describing the initiative as worthy of emulation by the younger generation.
He also commended the Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, for what he described as his administration’s efforts towards improving the socioeconomic well-being of the people of the state.
ADELEKE: UNITY IN DIVERSITY, FOUNDATION FOR NATIONAL STABILITY
Also speaking at the event, the Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, described unity in diversity as a foundational necessity for peaceful coexistence, national stability and collective progress in multicultural societies such as Nigeria.
According to the governor, unity in diversity enables distinct groups to preserve their languages, cultures and traditions while sharing a common national identity.
He noted that differences should be regarded as sources of social and creative enrichment rather than reasons for conflict or fragmentation.
“Empathy, tolerance, religious tolerance and cross-cultural understanding grow when communities actively respect different ways of life,” Governor Adeleke said.
The governor also commended the Alaafin for his initiatives towards peace, unity and stability in Yorubaland, describing him as a “monarch to behold.”
RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CAN PROMOTE PEACE — SHEIKH IGIN-OGUN
In his address, Sheikh Daud Igi-Ogun thanked Allah for the wisdom and opportunity to establish the institute, stressing the importance of religious education to national development.
He said religious education serves as an important tool for promoting peace, moral integrity and societal development when taught through rational, universal and just principles.
According to him, positive religious teachings can strengthen social bonds, promote community development and encourage honesty and moral soundness.
“Positive religious teachings strengthen social bonds and drive community growth, as well as promote honesty and moral soundness to build a healthy, clear conscience rather than a sick one,” Sheikh Igi-Ogun said.
The event brought together traditional, religious and political stakeholders, with renewed emphasis on the role of unity, tolerance, religious understanding and responsible leadership in building a peaceful and progressive society.
On air
Listen to Spectrocast Ìkànnì Ògbón
Live talk, music and culture from Oyo Alaafin — and our Auto-DJ when we’re off air.
