Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun Alli Okunmade ll on Friday urged agitators of the break-up of the country to drop such agenda and proffer solutions to whatever they might have identified as problems necessitating their agitations.
While playing host to the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin Elkanem’s delegation on congratulatory visit to the monarch at his Alarere residence said the unity of Nigeria is non-negotiable.
Oba Balogun, who said he had all along his life been in unity with fellow Nigerians recalled that he was born at a railway station in Lalupon, an outskirts of Ibadan in Lagelu Local Government area of the state and he began interaction with Northerners right from his birth. “When people talk of Nigeria unity, I already unite with fellow Nigerians.
“My father was a produce merchant and had a lot of Northern customers together with who I related with. I studied Holy Quran with their children and there was no any form of discrimination against anybody. The language we grew up to know and speak was oneness and when I went to the United Kingdom to study, I made friends with the late Abubakar Rimi, the late Balarabe Musa and our relationship existed till they all departed this world.
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“It was my relationship with them that influenced my joining the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) founded by the late Aminu Kano when I began politics in the second republic. We also remained closed till his death. Let’s continue to preach to our children and grandchildren the bond of love that once existed between us and de-emphasis our differences,” Oba Balogun added.
The delegation led by Mai Mele Abatcha, the Mai Kanuribe of Lagos presented the congratulatory letter signed by Shehu of Borno in which the foremost monarch said: “The Yoruba and Kanuri share common ancestral affinity, traditions and culture since time immemorial and we shall continue to sustain the relationship.”
Recalling the antecedents of Olubadan, the head of Kanuri Kingdom noted that “it is my believe that as former Distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic, Your Imperial Majesty would use your past experiences and good leadership qualities to promote peace, tolerance, unity and greater understanding among all our subjects irrespective of religion, tribe or gender.”
