Nigeria @65: Alaafin Reflects On Pre-Colonial And Post-Colonial Nigeria

The Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade I, has urged Nigerian politicians to set aside divisive tendencies and embrace pragmatic approaches in addressing the nation’s challenges.

He emphasized that true progress can only be achieved when both leaders and citizens uphold values of justice, morality, responsibility, dedication, integrity, and accountability.

Through a message delivered by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary, the monarch stressed that Nigerians must evaluate one another not by ethnic affiliations but by character.

He underscored the importance of harnessing the nation’s diversity for unity, warning that failure to do so could push the country further towards disintegration.

The Alaafin listed key governance concerns such as fear of domination by one state over another, excessive centralization of power, absence of consensus-driven politics, weak national political structures, lack of accountability for public officials, and unfair revenue allocation systems. He maintained that these issues, though longstanding, continue to evolve into violent dimensions that threaten peace and stability.

“As constant variables in our national consciousness, there should be genuine and concerted efforts towards addressing these challenges to peace and security. Nigeria’s ethnic, sectional and religious diversities ought to serve as a source of national unity, cohesion, and integration, but unfortunately, this has over the years.

“A serious threat to peace, security and national development because the Political elites have always tended to manipulate these identities for their parochial interests,” the statement stated.

He recalled the amalgamation of Southern and Northern protectorates in 1914, noting that it brought together diverse peoples with varying histories and cultures into a single political entity.

‘’Politically, the amalgamation of the Southern and northern protectorates in 1914 brought together people of diverse historical and cultural backgrounds into one political space to chart a new future.

“Despite this obvious challenge of diversity, the commitment of the colonial government towards ensuring the unity was demonstrated in several policies aimed at fostering cultural, political, social and economic ties among the various groups in the new nation.

Thus, from the time of amalgamation of the two protectorates with the colony of Lagos, till the period of regional administrations, Nigeria became committed to a united federation. Its commitment arose from its acceptance of federalism as a particular kind of functional arrangement between diverse communities for living together and working together nationally, whilst preserving a measure of separate entities.

” The quantum of unification and the quality of unity achieved were obvious. Education, solid infrastructures, gainful employment, social welfare programmes and sound health care delivery were accomplished by our leaders of blessed memory, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, and the Sardauna of Sokoto, who fought for the country’s independence.”

Reflecting further, the monarch stressed the sacredness of national values and questioned the disappearance of legacies left by past leaders.

Alaafin further stressed that ‘’it is assumed that a nation’s value system is sacred and could extend beyond that nation’s boundaries. All nations are supposed to be proud of their value systems, just as a person is proud of his or her upbringing and character and would try to impress that behaviour and beliefs on others. Basic values are traditional and historic, reflecting aspects of the experience that each nation has gone through since its inception as a nation

‘’Where were those legacies today? Why are things falling apart today? Why is it that public funds spent for the successful running of regional governments by our founding fathers were sourced internally without any external borrowings? Why is it that despite a huge amount of money being borrowed externally by the present-day governments, the lives of citizens are still miserable? Where did we get it wrong? Are our problems, including insecurity and socio-economic duodrums, defied solutions?’’

He drew parallels with the Old Oyo Empire, describing it as one of the earliest and longest-standing kingdoms that successfully practiced a cabinet system of administration, where sub-ethnic and religious groups lived in harmony under a collective sense of societal interest.

Alaafin posed a serious question on the issue of religious and ethnic tolerance, asking, ‘’If we are honest with ourselves, we would mostly agree that all is not well with our nation and that the values we once held dearly have gone into oblivion. Where are values like honesty, integrity, good neighbourliness, religious tolerance and so on that once defined our society? ‘’

According to the statement, the monarch charged Nigerians to be wary of political saboteurs, stating that, “Alaafin stated that as people we must be wary of those who are the greedy, selfish political class, and who have continued to exploit our differences to plunder our resources.

This is the reason why we must always see the good in ourselves. It is the reason why we must ignore ethnic chauvinism and primordial sentiments among us.”

He called on parents to instill moral discipline in their children, reminding them of the enduring goodness in the Nigerian spirit.

Oba Owoade also encouraged the younger generation to remain firmly rooted in cultural values and traditions. He cautioned that people who abandon their heritage risk becoming directionless, comparing them to “a horde of gorillas ravaging the deep forests.”