AS the nation celebrates 57 years of Independence, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has highlighted the unity of the country as a remarkable achievement that remains central to the continued progress of the country.
Ajimobi made these remarks on the sidelines of President Muhammadu Buhari’s speech which he read verbatim at Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan, on Sunday.
He prayed that the nation would remain united and leaders of government would direct all resources and efforts towards development.
Ajimobi emphasized that peace and security continued to be the fulcrum of development in the state.
“Unity is important for the progress of any community, state, nation. This occasion affords us the opportunity to not just talk about unity but also the need for progress, harmony, and Godliness. Together we stand, divided we fall.”
“I pray that Nigeria will never fall. Oyo State, in particular, has witnessed the most fundamental need of a society, that is, a state that is safe, peaceful and secure. No progress can be made in any state without unity and peace. Oyo state, in the last six years, has been very lucky to migrate from the brigandage, insecurity of the past to a peaceful, loving state,” Ajimobi said.
The event had in attendance the Deputy Governor, Mr Moses Adeyemo; Speaker of the state Assembly, Honourable Micheal Adeyemo; members of the state executive council and Assembly; Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, members of the Ibadan Obas in council and Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Akin Oke.
However, the organised labour movement in the state and the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Adetunji were conspicuously not present at the event.
When asked over the phone, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Waheed Olojede and his Trade Union Congress counterpart, Mr Emmanuel Ogundiran decried that they were not invited.
“We are surprised that the labour movement was excluded from the celebration of today and not invited. This is not the best for the labour movement.”
“If October 1 must come with celebration, it should come with sober reflection because they are failing in their obligation to Nigerian workers. Many of the governors received bailout funds from the federal government, yet there are salaries and pension arrears in their states,” Olojede said.
Meanwhile, a government source, the non-invitation of the labour movement might have been an oversight but added that invitation letter was provided for the Olubadan.
The state also celebrated the day with a prayer session for the unity and peace of the nation, the President, governors, legislators, judiciary, civil servants and deliverance from societal ills.
Some clerics present at the session held at remembrance arcade are Catholic Archbishop of Ibadan, Most Reverend Gabriel Abegunrin; Archbishop Kehinde Stephen of the Methodist Church; Bishop Francis Wale Oke; Bishop Taiwo Adelakun; Reverend Benjamin Akanmu; Apostle Sunday Popoola; Prophet Joseph Oloweere; and Pastor Kayode Abiara.
Speaking on the independence day celebration, Chief of Staff to Governor Abiola Ajimobi, Dr Gbade Ojo has identified unity as the major achievement of the country in 57 years.
He decried the failure of national integration hence current separatist agitations and attendant failure of Nigerians to see themselves as one.
But for the resilience of Nigerians, Ojo said the nation could have been separated.
“Between 1960 till date, it has been a mixed bag as regards the political evolution of Nigeria. It is unfortunate that the negative aspect of the historical evolution of Nigeria weighs more than the positive.”
“The only major achievement we can point to as Nigerians is the fact that Nigeria remains one as a country. We have a failure of national integration hence we have separatist tendencies. Nigeria is a plural and deeply divided society but that does not mean we cannot manage that. We are lucky that Nigerians are resilient.”
“If it were to have been in other countries, the story could have been different. Between 1960 till date, Nigerians have failed to see themselves as one. The only thing that seems to give us common front is the football team. Our fear as political scientists is not to go the way of the former Soviet Union and the fundamental problem is that whether in pre-Independence or post independence, we have been unable to have a lingua franca. We do not understand ourselves. All efforts at integrating the country seem to have been focused on the elites and the middle class,” Ojo said.
Similarly, Executive Assistant to Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Political Matters, Dr Morounkola Thomas said President Buhari, through his independence address, rededicated himself to the fight against corruption and the defence of the country.
Morounkola, however, said Buhari failed to explain plans to sustain and consolidate on efforts to ensure that the economy no more falls into a recession.
“The major issue that the President raised is that Nigeria’s unity must be nurtured and defended at all times. He also spoke keenly on he needs to continue to fight corruption and that some hot heads promoting hate speech and idea of dismembering Nigeria will not be tolerated.”
“The President has rededicated himself to the fight against corruption and the defence of the country. I would have loved the President to have highlighted the roadmap to fully come out of recession through the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics has said that we have technically come out of recession, we need to be shown steps to be taken in the coming months to build on the Nigerian economy, consolidate on the efforts to reclaim the trust of the people,” Morounkola said.
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