.presents awards to Yusuf, Rimingado, Opadokun
By Our Reporter
Less than one year to 2027 General Elections, more than 1000 representatives of ethnic and civil society groups on Tuesday met in Lagos with a call for collective action as they specifically charged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the leaders in Kano and Lagos states on need to take the lead to rebuilt trust ahead of the 2027 elections.
The participants, while making the call against ethnic and faith driven distrust which threatened to drag the country into chaos, cited the two cities as having the highest population, the most diversified and the most cosmopolitan city states.
The event which took place at Ikeja was organised by the Nigerian Human Rights Community, (NHRC) one of the largest coalition of civil society and community based groups spread across the country, with political leaders from Kano representing the State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf.
The groups said they came on their own to mobilise Nigerians, irrespective of ethnic and faith divide for a stronger collective spirit to fight division and rebuilt broken trust, noting the parley the first of its kind in recent memory that a multi-ethnic summit was held in Nigeria amidst the growing tension across the country.
The groups said deep ethnic and religious faultiness were a threat to the country’s stability, warning that if the violence in the country was s not stopped, democracy and future elections would suffer.
The summit’s Working Group continues on Wednesday where the group hopes to strengthen the National Working Group on Peace and Conflict Prevention.
The Guest Speaker and former Secretary General National Democratic Coalition, (NADECO) said he grew up in Kano, noting that he was excited that the new Kano governor had succeeded in making Kano a peaceful cosmopolitan free from ethnic and religions crisis even in the face of terrorism and violence in some parts of the country.
Opadokun urged for need for all embrace a higher calling in building of a nation where identity is not a basis for exclusion, faith is not a took for division, adding that good governance leads to equitable development, education, peace and stability of any country.
This was just as he noted that poverty and inequality fueled division, adding that good governance leads to equitable development, education, peace and stability of any country.
"We must all embrace a higher calling-the building of a nation where identity is not a basis for exclusion, faith is not a took for division.
"Poverty and inequality fuel division, but good governance leads to equitable development, education, peace and stability of any country," Opadokun said.
Speaking further, Opadokun said Nigeria, being a nation of immense diversity, endowed with over 350 ethnic nationalities, multiple faiths and rich cultural traditions, was never meant to be a battleground of suspicion, division and recurring violence, but lamented that today's Nigeria stands at a historic crossroads.
"We can either continue on the path of fragmentation or deliberately choose unity, peace and sustainable development," he charged.
Chairman of NUPE Community in Lagos, Alhaji Kudu Abubakar, in his own remark, said he was delighted that the first principle of Kano is to ensure the state is hitch free of crisis.
"In the past, Kano used to be the hub of violence. When any crisis happens in Kano, it spreads to other parts of the country. We are happy that since Governor Yusuf came, he has brought everybody together.
"Even though there is violence in some parts of the North, it is interesting to note that Kano is an exception. He has transformed the city in a way that makes every Nigerian to be proud. I have no doubt that he is a future leader of Nigeria," he said.
A member of the Yoruba community, who came from Kano, Kehinde Akindahunsi, said Kano under Yusuf had seen what he called ‘amazing transformations in healthcare,education, road construction, agriculture and economic transformation.
He said: ‘The beneficiaries are all residents of Kano State. It does not matter where you come from. Governor Yusuf has made Kano home to all of us. He has set unusual standards in ethnic and religious relations.Other state governors should emulate him.’
In his welcome address, the Executive Director, Journalist for Democratic Rights, (JODER), Comrade Wale Adeoye, said the group was going across the country, expressing the hope that "the people will organise and mobilise themselves for mass action against violence, distrust, ethnic divisions and religions suspicions,"
"We are going across the country. The people will organise and mobilise themselves for mass action against violence, distrust, ethnic divisions and religions suspicions," he said.
The delegates, who spoke one after the other, said the Kano State Governor Yufuf deserves commendation to balancing the delicate ethnic configuration in Kano State preventing any ethnic or religious crisis since he took over power close to four years ago.
According to them, Yusuf has established a template for peaceful ethnic co-existence which other states should emulate apart from the economic, cultural and social transformation of Kano under his watch.
An elder statesman, Pa Fred Agbeyegbe, who presented the award to the Governor Yusuf said he was disgusted when someone from Kano in the past said the oil in Niger-Delta belonged to everyone, but that his attitude to the people of Kano changed with the performance of the current governor.
Kano State Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Haruna Dederi, who represented Governor Yusuf thanked the delegates for the award given to the governor and for the messages of goodwill.
He said: ‘Your messages and solidarity have inspired us in Kano. It has inspired the governor to do more. We are dedicated to promoting peace and stability in Kano. We are committed to the economic and financial transformation of Kano to the benefit of all Nigerians."
At the event, the groups presented the Governor of the Year Award to the Kano State Governor, Yusuf; the Leadership and Integrity Award to Chief Ayo Opadokun and Integrity and Honour Award to Mr Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado.
Apart from being NADECO Secretary, Opadokun was an ally of the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and former Secretary of Afenifere.
Rimingado was the former Chairman, Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, (PCACC0) before he was forced out of office after he launched a string of investigations into graft committed by Government officials.
The participants at the event include leaders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo represented by Dim Uche Okwukwu; Ijaw leaders represented by Chief Werenipre Digifa, leaders of O’odua Peoples Congress (OPC), Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements, (AYDM) and O’odua Nationalist Coalition, (ONAC), led by Pastor Gabriel Adedotun, Wasiu Afolabi, Taofik Adeyemi and Rasaq Arogundade; and Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) led by Mr Wale Osun.
Also at the parley were: Pa Fred Agbayegbe, a lawyer; Seriki Fulani in Lagos, Alhaji Mohammed Babado and Chairman of Nupe Community in Lagos led by Alhaji Kudu Abubakar; the United Middle Belt Indigenous Peoples Congress, several civil society groups, professional and artisan groups.
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