The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, has urged stronger collaboration among religious leaders, government institutions and civil society to harness faith-based contributions for national development and promote inclusive, ethical governance.
Speaking on Saturday in the ancient town of Oyo during the official commissioning of the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola building and a fundraising event for the Imam Daud Igi Ogun Institute of Arabic and Islamic Studies, the monarch described religious institutions as trusted community partners essential for advancing climate action, social welfare and peacebuilding.
In a statement by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, Oba Owoade stressed that integrating religious teachings with modern development frameworks offers practical pathways to tackle poverty, environmental challenges and social inequality.
He highlighted Nigeria’s rich ethnic and tribal diversity as both a strength and a test of national cohesion. “Accord, acceptance and understanding are necessary to counter conflictual division,” the Alaafin said. “Every so often, the camaraderie of Nigerians is tested by the very diversity that defines us. It is also pertinent that we need to begin to do away with negative stereotyping of ourselves as Nigerians.”
Oba Owoade called for unity without uniformity and diversity without fragmentation. “In order to live together across ethnic and tribal differences, it is essential for us to nurture that very important concept of unity in diversity by accepting the characteristics of every one of ‘us,’” he stated. “Unity in diversity, then, requires a recognition of unity without uniformity, and diversity without fragmentation.”
He urged wealthy individuals to deploy their resources to support the vulnerable and those whose faith is waning, describing religion as a enduring fortress of hope amid global uncertainties. “The present global condition… reveals a world in need of dire divine intervention,” he noted, adding that both Islam and Christianity place a duty on adherents to reach out to the lost.
The Alaafin praised Sheikh Daud Igi-Ogun, founder of the institute, for his peaceful and developmental initiatives, which he said future generations should emulate. He also commended Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke for his administration’s focus on improving socio-economic wellbeing.
Governor Adeleke, in turn, hailed the Alaafin’s efforts toward peace, unity and stability in Yorubaland, describing him as “a monarch to behold.”
Sheikh Daud Igi-Ogun expressed gratitude for the establishment of the institute, emphasising that religious education, when grounded in rational and just principles, promotes peace, moral integrity and societal progress. “Positive religious teachings strengthen social bonds and drive community growth,” he said, “as well as promote honesty and moral soundness to build a healthy, clear conscience rather than a sick one.”
