23rd December, 2012
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has stressed that peaceful coexistence among Nigerians irrespective of their religion and ethnic groups is vital for national development.
Aregbesola who made this known on Saturday at the grand finale of the 2012 Iwude festival in Ilesha, urged Nigerians to live in peace and harmony for the country to witness rapid development.
He expressed regrets over the insecurity and chaos in some parts of the country and called on community, religious leaders and all stakeholders in the affairs of the nation to preach peace.
He, however, commended the Yorubas for allowing peace to reign in the region, urging the people to continue to imbibe the spirit of tolerance and love for one another.
Then governor, who hails from Ilesa, charged Ijesa sons and daughters to embrace farming which he described as the occupation of the kingdom.
He stressed the need for the people to go back to farming, saying that the profession was highly profitable “and it is the only viable means of banishing hunger, unemployment and poverty’’.
He promised that his government was ready to assist farmers through land allocations, loan facilities and inputs for the revitalisation of agricultural sector.
Speaking at the occasion, the Monarch of Ijeshaland, Oba Gabriel Aromolaran, charged his subjects to maintain the cordial relationship among them.
Aromolaran called on the Ijesa people to sustain peaceful coexistence “which is fundamental thing toward the sustenance of unity’’.
He appealed to the State Government for more assistance in the area of functioning water supply and dualisation of major roads in Ilesa township.
T
Among the dignitaries that attended the ceremony were, Senators representing Osun East, Omoworare Babatunde, Osun West, Mudashiru Hussein, and Osun Speaker, Mr Najeem Salam.