National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Wednesday resumed its courtesy visits to traditional leaders in Lagos State to intensify advocacy for peace after the inter-tribal conflict that erupted during the 2023 general election.
Director-General of NOA, Mr. Garba Abari, during his visit to the Olu of Ikeja Land, Prince Adekunle Apena, in Lagos, said that his mission was to meet with community leaders and seek peace among the tribes and residents of the state.
Abari praised the Regent of Ikeja Land, Prince Isiaka Apena, for receiving the delegation and his desire to collaborate with the peace mission in accordance with religious and cultural beliefs.
“We have come to pay you a visit to ask you to support government at all levels, to send out messages of peace building that will unite us as a country notwithstanding the ethnic group we belong to.”
He said that in Lagos, the experience of the elections has left a lot of people with concerns, and it is for traditional leaders, religious leaders, statesmen, to speak up so that peace, security, and progress can be sustained in the country.
The Director General also said that the situation forced the NOA to intervene by calling on all parties to embrace peace in order to create growth in the country.
According to him, “We are happy that, despite all the negative predictions by the naysayers, we were able to have an election that was characterised by reduced violence.
“Although, there is no perfect election all over the world, the election was open, a winner had emerged from the process, and those who are aggrieved have gone to court to seek redress, in line with the constitution.”
Abari emphasised that leaders, parents, and character moulders must rise up to preach messages of peace and reconciliation to their followers to sustain peace and progress in the country.
“Nigeria is the largest democratic black nation and market on earth. Hence, it is our collective responsibility to make it work, for every black man to be proud of.”
He urged the Regent to continue acting as a peacemaker and spreading the gospel of unity across each tribe’s community, vis-à-vis the state and nation, in line with his constitutional responsibility.
While responding, the regent of Ikeja Land, Prince Isiaka Apena, praised the NOA for the development of the peace mission with the goal of uniting the state and the country as a whole.
Apena stated that Ikeja is always peaceful and also has a peaceful environment, all the tribes within the community live in accord; and there was no violence recorded in the community during the last general elections.
“There was no crisis in Ikeja during the election because all the tribes in the community live as one.
“We have Hausa dominating the Allen-Avenue area, the Igbos are in Olowu Market, and we all have a cordial relationship,” he stated.
The Regent, however, promised to assist NOA in its purpose by preaching the gospel of peace to all traditional leaders under its authority as well as community members in order to unite the state and country at large.
The NOA DG presented the Nigerian flag, plaques, and other souvenirs of the agency to the Regent of Ikeja Land.
metrowatchxtra.com reports that the NOA team had earlier visited His Highness, Eze Nwachukwu, Ezendigbo of Lagos, and Alhaji Kabiru Garba, Sarki Hausawa of Lagos State, on April 12, in the same vein to advocate for peace in the state.
