Obasanjo cautions Nigerians against mixing politics with culture

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Saturday cautioned Nigerians against mixing politics with cultural issues and affiliations to avoid frictions in the country.

Obasanjo gave the warning when he received the leaders of the Okun people of Kogi State who were at his residence in the Ogun State capital, Abeokuta, to invite him to the 2019 Okun Day celebration.

He cited Brazil, the Caribbean and Republic of Benin, among other countries that are reaping immense benefits because their leaders do not mix politics with cultural affiliations.

Stressing the need for the people to hold firmly to their roots, Obasanjo said the issue of cultural identity remained paramount to encourage a sense of belonging among the diverse ethnic population.

The delegation, which was jointly led by the president of the Lagos State chapter of the union, Princess Ladepe Omonale, her Abeokuta branch counterpart, Joseph Santa and a member of the Lagos branch executive of the union, Wole Hinmikaiye, comprised two consultants – Oluwaseun Ngonnase and Shehu Bankole-Hameed, who is also an author.

Obasanjo applauded the Okun people for their initiative, recalling that he advised two illustrious sons of the state, the late Silas Daniyan and the late Chief Sunday Awoniyi, of the need to properly situate the cultural identity of the people as main stakeholders in the country.

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Obasanjo said the quest by the Okun people, like the Yoruba in Kwara State, for alignment with the South-West Yoruba people culturally was the best thing that could happen to them because of the overall benefits.

Earlier, Princess Omonale, in her speech, had complainted about marginalisation and frustration of the Okun people in the scheme of things because of being carved out of the South-West.

She restated the quest of the people to join their brethren in the South-West, stating that the organisation was formed in 2017 to bring together the Yoruba-speaking minorities in Kogi State and align themselves culturally with their brethren in the South-West.

She reminded the former president of the role of many illustrious sons of Kabba that served under his administration, including Chief Daniyan and Awoniyi, who Obasanjo said he was well acquainted of the people mentioned and in fond memories of their association.

On the planned 2019 Okun Day cultural celebration, she said it had again received blessing of the Ooni of Ife, and deemed it proper and necessary the need to approach Obasanjo, who she described as the father of modern Nigeria.