The Imo State Governor and Chairman Southern Governors Forum has charged the Traditional rulers of the area to redouble efforts in ensuring unity, progress and sustainable peace in the country.
Governor Hope Uzodinma gave the charge when the traditional rulers from the South East, South South and South West paid him a courtesy visit shortly after their meeting in Abuja.
Uzodinma believed that the Royal Fathers have a vital role to play in ensuring unity, peace and economic stability through collaborative efforts with the present Government.
He emphasized the need to partner with the political class if they truly want the country to remain united.
The Governor argued that Nigeria is very large and cannot be handled by only one man, adding that if the southern part has the requisite unity, it will extend a proper handshake to the Northern part of the country.
He explained that the prosperity we were looking for can only come if we get the buy-in of every section of this country and begin to work together to appreciate the need for political cohesion, integration, and unity, which will lead to credible economic prosperity.
The Chairman of the forum further believed that this government was willing to partner with the Royal fathers to ensure it deals with the serious issues of insecurity that have held the country to ransom for years.
He argued that to cure this menace, they have to start from the root, and that depends on the traditional rulers because community-arranged vigilante is associated with the traditional institutions.
According to him, there is a need to partner with the government of the day if they are to succeed in cleaning our society.
He assured that the present government was ready to partner with the traditional institutions to make the country more prosperous, while urging them to reciprocate the same with the government of President Bola Ahmad Tinubu to have a united Nigeria.
Earlier in his submission, the leader of the delegation the Royal Father the Ooni of Ife Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi spoke extensively on the role the southern traditional institutions can play to ensure the country is more united for the betterment of all.
The Ooni of Ife Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi added that the traditional institution is beyond politics religious or traditional sentiment, emphasizing that their main concern was the entire country, saying the unity is of much paramount to them from the southern part of the country.
He however, commended the untiring efforts of Governor Hope Uzodinma for ensuring National cohesion for sustainable development.
Bashir M
