A former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Maj. Gen. Chris Alli (Retd), has warned politicians in Nigeria to avoid acts capable of causing political violence in the country, maintaining that peace and unity in Nigeria is not negotiable.
He gave the warning ahead of the governorship election in Kogi State scheduled for 21st November 2023 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other off-season elections in Imo and Bayelsa states.
Alli, who is the chairman Board of Trustees of Ohiku Egbira Descendants Union (OEDU), spoke on Saturday at the 2023 World Ohiku Day Convention with the theme: “Uniting Egbira Nation for Greater Prosperity ”held at Old Parade Ground, Area 10, Abuja.
The OEDU BoT chairman served as Chief of Army Staff from 1993 to 1994 under General Sani Abacha’s regime and was military governor of Plateau State Nigeria from August 1985 to 1986 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida.
He particularly warned youths from Egbira Nation to eschew violence and all forms of criminality, which he noted would not only endanger their lives but hamper national development efforts.
He said the continuing violent acts in respective communities and desecration of royal institutions in the name of politics must stop henceforth as politics is not a do-or-die affair.
He said the annual celebration was significant because it brought together Egbira as a diverse and numerically strong ethnic nationality spread across the Nasarawa, Kogi and Edo states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Alli noted the unique arts and crafts, agriculture and other traditional occupations must be encouraged, saying they are what make Egbira a unique people.
He added that the Union would pay particular attention to the areas of women and girl-child education designed to improve their status and give them an equal playing field to pursue their dreams.
“Already these are captured among the many lofty programs wishes to accomplish.
“The youth must, therefore, eschew violence and all forms of criminality in their general conduct as these would only endanger their lives and it is also unlike-Egbira.
“The continuing acts of violent acts in our respective communities and desecration of royal institutions in the name of politics must stop henceforth as Politics is not a do-or-die affair.
“Violence only engenders criminality and backwardness and that is not what we want in Egbira Nation. We are a decent and civilised people and must conduct ourselves as such,” he said.
President of OEDU, Musa Adohinoyi Ahmed, on his part, said for over 20 years ago some leaders of thought of the Egbira nation, including the traditional rulers, established the Ohiku-Egbira Descendants Union (OEDU) as the umbrella organisation tasked primarily with the responsibility for coordinating and ensuring the actualization of the unification of the three branches of the Egbira nation that is: Egbira Opete, Egbira Miyakan and Egbira Etuno/Igarra under one common name and identity.
He added that the gathering was to celebrate unity, oneness, togetherness, common ancestry as shared aspirations.
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