By Julius Peter, Abuja
A traditional ruler, Ali Yusuf Atama Ahmed Adaji Achadu Oko Ata, has called for greater unity among the various ethnic communities in Nigeria, urging the promotion of inter-marriages and sustained interaction among traditional institutions as a means of fostering peaceful coexistence and accelerating development.
The traditional ruler made the call while speaking at the Kwararafa Development Forum, held under the theme, “The Splendour of the Confederacy: Ancient Truth and the New Dawn.”
He described the gathering as a special and significant platform for bringing people from diverse backgrounds together to promote understanding, unity and collective development.
According to him, one of the important ways of strengthening relationships among communities is through the encouragement of inter-marriages, which he said could help deepen social bonds and promote peaceful coexistence among different ethnic groups.
He also advocated the institutionalisation of the gathering, urging participants and traditional leaders to ensure that the event is held annually.
“This is a special gathering. One important thing is to encourage inter-marriages. We should meet annually, every year, so that we can continue to strengthen the bonds among our people,” he said.
The traditional ruler stressed the important role of traditional institutions in maintaining peace and fostering development at the grassroots, noting that traditional rulers remain close to the people and are often in a position to understand the challenges confronting their communities.
He therefore called on the Federal Government to strengthen its relationship with traditional institutions and work more closely with traditional rulers in the formulation and implementation of programmes aimed at improving the lives of citizens.
“The traditional rulers are close to the people. The Federal Government should work closely with the traditional institutions,” he stated.
He maintained that stronger collaboration between government and traditional institutions would enhance communication, promote peace and enable government policies and development initiatives to have greater impact at the grassroots.
The traditional ruler further urged Nigerians to embrace diversity as a strength rather than a source of division, stressing the need for people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds to work together for the common good.
“Let us celebrate our diversity,” he said, while emphasising that unity in diversity remained essential to achieving meaningful and sustainable development.
He described the Kwararafa Development Forum as a welcome development, particularly at a time when there is a growing need for communities and leaders to come together to identify common challenges and seek collective solutions.
“This is a welcome development coming at this time. I am very proud to be here because what we need is development,” he said.
According to him, bringing people together under a common platform would create opportunities for dialogue, collaboration and the exchange of ideas capable of advancing the development of the various communities represented at the forum.
He expressed optimism that the initiative would contribute to greater unity and progress, saying that the coming together of traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders could provide a foundation for addressing developmental challenges collectively.
“I believe with this idea of coming together, we will move forward,” he added.
The forum, with its focus on the historical heritage of the Kwararafa Confederacy and the prospects for a new era of development, provided a platform for stakeholders to reflect on the importance of cultural identity, unity, peaceful coexistence and collective advancement.
The call by the traditional ruler underscored the need for stronger engagement among traditional institutions, government and communities, particularly in promoting social cohesion and grassroots development.
Participants at the gathering were expected to continue building on the spirit of unity demonstrated at the forum by sustaining dialogue, strengthening inter-community relationships and promoting initiatives capable of translating the region’s rich historical and cultural heritage into tangible development.
The emphasis on regular annual gatherings also highlighted the importance of creating sustainable platforms where traditional rulers and other stakeholders can meet, deliberate on emerging challenges and develop common approaches towards achieving peace, unity and development.
