By Vivian Onyebukwa
In it’s continuous effort to achieve a peaceful co-existence among Nigerians, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), is paying courtesy visits to the traditional leaders across the States.
The agency’s delegation landed at the palace of the Sarki Hausawa of Lagos State, Alhj Ali Kabir Garba to ask for his support to disseminate the information of peace to the community.
In his speech, the Director General of National Orientation Agency, Dr Garba Abari, explained that the purpose of the visit was to ask the traditional leader to support the agency in ensuring a peaceful co-existence among his community, not just Hausas.
The DG who was represented by the National Director Political, Civic, Ethics and Value, Adeola Adelaja, noted that the Sarki is recognized as a major stakeholder to disseminate the peace and tranquility message across the State and country, and urged him to continue to support NOA.
“The need to come to Lagos is to appeal to stakeholders to help calm the nerves of the people where a lot of things happened before, during, and after the elections. We believe that things did not really go how it was supposed, but then, the election has taken place and results announced. So people that feel aggrieved should settle it at the law court. We should just wait and see what comes out of the process. We believe in the judicial process. We should all put Nigeria first. If there is no peace there won’t even be election in the first place. So we should give peace a chance. We know we have several issues in the country, but we have to forge ahead and make things the right way”.
He urged the citizens to imbibe the right attitude towards changing things and put Nigeria first before ethnicity. ‘Strive for peace, shun things that could cause disunity. Use our various diversity and come together as one nation that Nigeria must move forward”, he advised.
In his response, the Sarki Hausawa of Lagos State, who is also the Chairman, Council of Arewa Chiefs, Lagos State, Alhj Ali Kabir Garba, promised to pass the message, and urged citizens to love one another and shun religion and ethnicity.
Highlight was the presentation of the Nigerian flag, plagues, books, and other souvenirs of the agency to the traditional leader.
Among other leaders present were Alhj Umar Yabo, Sarkin Fada of Lagos State, Alhj Ahmadu Dogo, Sarkin Yaki of Lagos State, Alhj Abubakar Dikko, Sarkin Kutare of Lagos State, and Alhj Ibrahim Dambata, General Secretary of the Council.