30th December, 2019
A socio-cultural group, Awori Natives Coalition, on Monday called for unity among the Awori people to promote their culture and identity.
The President of the coalition, Mr Taiwo Oye, made the call at the first Awori Forum Celebration organised at Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo.
The celebration was entitled: “What We Gained in Speed, We Lost in Distance”.
The Aworis are an ethnic group of the Yoruba people traditionally found in Ogun and Lagos States.
Oye, who was the guest speaker, noted that many of the Awori people were losing their identity due to factors of migration, inter-ethnic marriage, westernisation, amongst others.
“The fragmentation of the Awori people into different localities, states and even nations can lead to a largely disunited people.
“Our fragmentation has led to the formation of different kingdoms of Awori heritage like Ado Kingdom, which means we need a good leader to bind us together and make us one.
“Also, the intellectuals among the Awori indigenes need to think of ways to harness people’s strength which can help to achieve great things,” he said.
Also speaking, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun (SAN), Vice-Chancellor, LASU, urged Awori traditional leaders to always support and be interested in moving LASU forward.
Fagbohun said that it was very important for the university to sustain the momentum of the growth it was witnessing currently.
“LASU is now very peaceful and moving forward because four years ago we could not sit for programmes for obvious reasons.
“I, therefore, want to plead with all unions in the institution not to allow anybody use LASU as a battleground again in the future.
“Within the last four years, about 12 major infrastructural projects are ongoing on the campus with some completed, due to the peace reigning in the institution,” the vice-chancellor said.
He urged all staff to protect the institution by all means and to engage whoever would be coming in as his successor.
“I want to thank the Awori people for proposing to have the Awori Building in LASU. It is long overdue,” Fagbohun said.
The Awori Forum of LASU unveiled the proposed Awori Hall of Knowledge, which would be situated at the main campus.