A Non-Governmental Organization , NGO, Oneworld Initiative for Sustainable Devolpomet (OISD), in partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture of the FCT Social Development Secretariat, have inaugurated a committee geared towards promoting peaceful coexistence in Abuja the Nations Capital.

Speaking at the formal launching and inauguration of the steering committee on the ‘Culture for Peace Project’, the Mandate Secretary, FCT Social Development Secretariat, Mrs Justina Pawa said the event was timely.

Mrs Pawa also added that the committee is charged with the responsibility of identifying, listing and studying the various groups within the FCT with a view to finding common grounds for social interaction, economic development, peaceful coexistence and general well-being of all.

“The well-being of the residents of the FCT, will translate into less work for the FCT Administration and a model city for us to live in and others to visit. One of the expected outcomes from this committee is a Cultural Policy for the FCT that will identify and promote the cultural activities in the FCT.”

“Your recommendations policy draft will go a long way to provide the needed direction towards achieving the much needed peaceful coexistence that FCT and indeed the entire country deserve.” Paws added.

Mrs Pawa thanked all the stakeholders who have agreed to be part of the drive especially the traditional institutions and the area councils, the NGOs.

She urged the committees to go into serious business research and consultation to harness all relevant information needed to accomplish the task within record time.

On his part, the President, OISD, Timothy Achanya, said the project was conceptualized to galvanize stakeholder efforts towards promoting the culture of peace through dynamic conflict resolution and transformation strategies with a view to achieving sustainable development in Nigeria .

Mr Achanya also said that the project was concepualized in response
to Nigeria’s fragile State and conflict infested social space.

“This ugly trend is further fuelled by religious, ethnic and tribal bigotry which result in distrust among the citizens, lack of patriotism, disunity and huge craving to harm one another at the slightest provocation. Abuja being the capital of Nigeria and adjudged one of the safest cities in the country is beginning to witness this ugly trend. Achanya added
“The daily influx of victims and other citizens running away from insurgency and crime from the affected states calls for serious concern. The situation has resulted in astronomic increase in Abuja population. This again impacts negatively on the social, economic, human and physical infrastructure of Abuja. If not checked, this could make Abuja worse than most of other cities in Nigeria.” She said.

She noted that the initiation of the the project using culture as a unifying factor was apt. Mr. Achanya summon all hands to be on deck in the efforts.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed reason he ordered traditional rulers in Oyo to stand during the inauguration of two projects in Iseyin area of the State, last Friday.

Obasanjo in a now-viral video had condemned the monarchs for failing to rise to greet the State Governor, Seyi Makinde.

On reason for his outburst, Obasanjo in an interview with Premium Times said; “I arrived at the event venue with the governor,” the former president said from South Africa where he was attending the burial of politician Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who died on 9 September at 95.

“As we arrived, every other person at the venue rose, but they (the monarchs) remained seated. I was surprised because I considered that a breach of protocol and disrespect for the governor.

“It later became the turn of the governor to speak. As he rose, every other person at the venue, including me, stood up as demanded by protocol and in respect for the governor and his office. Again, the Obas refused to rise. They all remained seated.

“I then asked people around whether that was the practice in Oyo State. I was told the Obas have always displayed disrespect for their governor. I wondered where they got that from and then decided to speak to them about it.

“As far as I am concerned, there is constitution and there is culture. By our constitution, the governor is the leader of a State. Everyone must respect him no matter his or her status or age. He deserves respect no matter how young he is and protocols must be observed.

“That was why I spoke to them the way I did. I wanted them to realise that it is not part of Yoruba culture to disrespect authorities. Respect begets respect and they must learn to deal with their governor with respect if they want to be respected in return.

“I respect traditional rulers and even when I was President and till today, I treat them with reverence. I prostrate, bow and knee before them as necessary.

“I respect our culture. But let us also know that there is a Constitution which puts a chairman as head of a local government, a governor as head of a state and a president as head of our country. Whatever we do must be in respect for that arrangement. I am saying there is culture and there is constitution. One must not disturb the other.”

The Oyo Mesi, a group of kingmakers, selected a new Alaafin of Oyo last year to replace the late Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who passed away in April 2022, according to documents obtained byFreelanews.

Nearly 18 months since the throne became vacant, there has not been an official announcement of a new monarch by the Oyo State Government, with many blaming the kingmakers for delaying the selection process.

However, a proclamation document and a court judgment seen by this newspaper have now shown that the Oyo Mesi selected Lukman Gbadegesin and forwarded the name of the prince from the Agunloye Ruling House to the government since last year.

“We hereby proclaim Prince Lukman Adelodun Gbadegesin the new Alaafin,” the proclamation reads, signed by the five living Oyo Mesi members and two warrant chiefs selected by the government to replace deceased Oyo Mesi members.

The kingmakers said they received a list of 82 aspiring princes from the Baba Iyaji of Oyo, the head of all princes, Mukaila Afonja. By Oyo tradition and the Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration, Baba Iyaji is empowered to collect the names of aspiring princes from the next ruling house and transmit them to the Bashorun, the head of Oyo Mesi.

The Bashorun would then convene a meeting of the kingmakers to take a vote and the prince with simple majority is to be proclaimed Alaafin.

As the proclamation shows, all the kingmakers signed for Mr Gbadegesin, whose grandfather, Alaafin Bello Gbadegesin Ladigbolu II, was the predecessor of the immediate past Alaafin Adeyemi III.

The proclamation was signed on September 30, 2022. According to the law, an aspirant or the ruling house has 21 days to petition the government to challenge the selection. But no such petition was written.

However, after the expiration of the 21-day window, a prince, Hakeem Ladigbolu, approached the court to set aside the selection process. But in a judgment given on December 19, 2023, an Oyo State High Court in Oyo Town, upheld the process leading to the selection of Mr Gbadegesin, court papers show.

However, despite the proclamation by the Oyo Mesi and the court judgment upholding the process, the government has yet to make a formal announcement, giving rise to concern that political interests might want to undermine the Oyo Mesi and foist another person on the ancient Yoruba town.

When contacted, the Bashorun of Oyo, Yusuf Akinade, confirmed the process has been concluded.

He, however, refused to disclose the name of the prince selected. Instead, he said, “we have submitted everything to the government, direct all other questions to the government, but we have completed the process.”