By Gabriel Omonhinmin
Amidst growing agitations in some parts of Nigeria over threats to break away, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adekunle Oyelude Makama -The Olowu Of Owu-Kuta in Osun State, has appealed to all Nigerians agitating for the separation of the country, to thread with caution, no matter the reasons or justification for their agitations, stressing that we all need one another as Nigerians to have one united and indivisible country. Especially now that we are approaching another election year.
Oba Makama, who made this appeal, when he spoke with Palace Watch on various national issues, said, “Mind you, this is a very sensitive matter for now. And I do not want anyone to misquote me or misrepresent my thoughts and intentions for making this appeal to all Nigerians. He stressed, “Whatever the wrongs now and where ever such wrongs are coming from, once we all learn to forgive one another as members of one country and become resolute about our survival and the collective good of our country, we shall overcome whatever problems we think we are facing now as a people.”
Oba Makama added, “As a people, we have in the past survived whatever we perceived as injustice in Nigeria. And in the final analysis we came out stronger as one indivisible country. Explaining that the balkanization of the country isn’t now the best option after so many years of co-existence as Nigerians. He added, even smaller units of human society such as a husband and wife, do occasionally have reasons to disagree, which they will later find a way of resolving. Settlement can only be achieved when people learn to sit together and resolve their differences.”
The Olowu of Owu-Kuta stressed, if the need ever arises, that we as members of the same country should sit down and talk as a people, we should not shy away from taking the opportunity, as this is the only way to find the answers to our nagging problems as a country. He maintained, countries, just like every human communities and human set-up, at one point or another do have their individual differences, but sitting down, talking it over and taking a forensic look at how these perceived problems came about, is the best approach for now. He noted, “engaging ourselves, no matter the differences, is the best way to get out of the present quagmire the country is presently facing.
Oba Makama continued, as a matter of fact, no section of the country can do without the other section that makes up the present day Nigeria, no matter how much we try to pretend about it. The reason why some people are pushing for separation, is because so many foreign countries are not too happy with the present size of Nigeria. The economic potentials of Nigeria is also of concern to them. The enormous human resources available in Nigeria, give them sleepless nights. Not to talk of the vibrancy of Nigerians. The imperialists have in the past predicted the breakup of Nigeria on or before the year 2000. To their shame and surprise, this prediction never came to pass. We all know, the international communities pushing for the disintegration of Nigeria, they are sadly not relenting in their efforts to put a big wedge in between the units that make up present day Nigeria. The some of them have been linked with the funding of the current insurrection all over the places. But if we continue as a country to hang on and team up together, we will survive this present international onslaught. My belief and faith in the unity and survival of Nigeria as a traditional ruler is strong and unshakable.
Read More: IPOB Vows to Retaliate Burning of Supporters’ Houses by Soldiers, Ebubeagu
On the issue of security, Oba Makama says, if the state Governors have the fear of God and allow the Local Government Council Areas to function optimally, just like the Native Authority of old, the issue of security, which has become such a big deal in Nigeria, will be reduced drastically and will be reduced to the barest minimum within a given period of time, if there is consistency in the handling of this matter across board.
According to him, just like President Muhammadu Buhari recently pointed out in his interview, the traditional rulers if properly and adequately funded, as kings, who know their people and their surroundings very well, they will assist a great deal in helping to bring criminals and trouble makers to book. He stressed that when these breaches happen, it is the traditional rulers that the people affected in any community first run to, even before going to report such matters to the Nigerian Police.
The Olowu of Owu-Kuta added, a situation where most Local Government Area Councils across the country, are rendered in effective, as one of the major tiers of government, is not good for a country as big and diverse as Nigeria. He explained that if all the 774 Local Government Area councils in Nigeria are properly funded, they will in turn be in a position to fund traditional institutions and traditional rulers in their areas of jurisdiction.
He continued, the Nigerian public expects so much from the Local Government Area Councils in the area of Primary Health Care, Primary Education and the provision of some infrastructures, such as roads and pipe borne water. Oba Makama explained, for example, if a well-funded Local Government Area Council decisively deals with the issues of security in its areas, the pressure resulting from such issues, will not be passed over to the state and federal governments. Even if such problems still exist, it will be minimal. He continued, “it is only in a secured and peaceful environment that businesses and other economic and non-economic activities can continue to thrive.”
Speaking on the recent constitutional review exercise that just took place in Nigeria, Oba Makama said, “he alongside other traditional rulers in the country, just hoped Nigeria and Nigerians have collectively learnt enough lesson to allow the inclusion of traditional institutions or traditional rulers in the constitution. He noted that, traditional rulers by their very nature, play a moderating role in any system and set up they find themselves. And if they are this time around, assigned a role in the constitution, their moderating influence and role will help a great deal in uniting the nation.
Palace Watch then asked Kabiyesi, what imputes the traditional rulers from the South-West made to the constitutional review exercise?
Oba Makama responded, “As far as I know, there was a lot of consultation among the Obas across the length and breadth of the South West over this matter. I’m also aware that the traditional councils of states like Ekiti, Ondo and Oyo just to mention a few, were reached over this matter, and there imputes were incorporated in the final document submitted. For example, as a traditional ruler in Osun State, the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, is the Chairman of the Osun State chapter of the Council of Traditional Rulers.
We trust him, as he has so far provided good leadership over the years. And as such, we trust and believe every word he says. Anyhow, I’m aware, that the Ooni as the Co-Chairman with the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammdu Sa’ad Abubakar III, of the National Council of Traditional Rulers in Nigeria, told us, that extensive consultations were made with almost all the traditional rulers in the country, before the document submitted to the constitutional review committee was finally submitted.
Oba Makama concluded by saying, “although my domain is an agrarian society, we have never had any issues with the Fulanis living in my communities, just because of our constant and continuous constructive engagement with them. As we speak, our farmers are in their various farms in various communities. The way things are now, in the coming years, we are expecting a bumper harvest. If the farmers in my domain were not doing well, I would not have been compelled to join them in farming. If you must know, I am now cultivating Cocoa, Palm oil and Cashew. I have gone into farming in a big way.