Accord Party presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, recently paid a courtesy visit to the Omo Ibile Igbomina House in Ganmo, Kwara State. During the visit, Hashim and Omo Ibile Igbomina National President, Sir Bisi Fakayode, discussed their longstanding relationship and the development of the Igbomina institution. They also reflected on the wider question of national unity in Nigeria. The visit provided an opportunity for Hashim to draw from his personal connection with Igbomina.
Fakayode conducted Hashim on a tour of the Igbomina House, showcasing renovation, rehabilitation, and other improvement projects undertaken under his leadership. Hashim commended Fakayode for the transformation taking place at Igbomina House and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to see the projects firsthand. Fakayode expressed appreciation for Hashim's longstanding support and encouragement, recalling that he was among the first three prominent supporters of the present Omo Ibile Igbomina leadership.
Hashim acknowledged the progress recorded under Fakayode's leadership and encouraged the Omo Ibile Igbomina leadership to remain committed to strengthening the institution and advancing the collective interests of the Igbomina people. He also reflected on Fakayode's journey from public service and local government leadership to his present position as national president of Omo Ibile Igbomina. Hashim noted that his connection with Igbomina was deeply personal, having been raised within an Igbomina family in New Bussa, Niger State.
Hashim explained that his upbringing shaped his understanding of community, identity, and belonging, exposing him to Igbomina's remarkable tradition of accommodation and peaceful coexistence. He noted that Igbomina communities have historically existed alongside settlements and communities of people from different ethnic backgrounds. These communities were not merely tolerated as outsiders but became part of the wider social, economic, and political life of the communities around them.
For Hashim, Igbomina's experience demonstrates that cultural diversity does not necessarily have to produce social fragmentation. He described the social environment in which he was raised as an example of the "workability, resilience, and strength of cultural pluralism." Hashim argued that people of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds can live, trade, farm, build relationships, and participate in shared social and political spaces without abandoning their identities.
Hashim said that Nigeria's diversity can become a source of strength when supported by mutual respect, appropriate institutions, and a shared sense of belonging. He stated that "we don't have to become identical to become one nation; we can be different and yet belong together." Hashim concluded that Nigeria's diversity needs not be a weakness, arguing that "properly organised, mutually respected, and institutionally protected," it can become one of the country's greatest sources of strength.
The visit was more than a social engagement for Hashim; it was a reminiscence of where he came from, a celebration of what he has experienced, and an inspiration for what Nigeria can still become. Hashim's visit to Omo Ibile Igbomina House provided an opportunity for him to reflect on his connection with Igbomina and its lessons for Nigeria's nation-building project. The Accord Party presidential candidate's message of cultural accommodation and peaceful coexistence resonated with the Igbomina people.
Key points
- Hashim emphasizes that cultural diversity can be a source of strength when supported by mutual respect and institutions.
- Igbomina's tradition of accommodation and peaceful coexistence offers lessons for Nigeria's nation-building project.
- Hashim argues that people can be different and yet belong together, promoting national unity.
