Kogi monarch cautions against war mongering, hate speeches

The Maigarin Lokoja, Kabir Mohammed Maikarfi III, yesterday admonished Nigerians against hate speeches and quit notices being issued by various groups as he cautioned against war mongering and its negative consequences.

Maikarfi, who is also the Chairman of Lokoja Traditional Council, said it would be more rewarding for Nigerians to seek peace for the country’s growth and development rather than beat the war drums.

This, he said, was the precursor to the Rwandan genocide, which he said, must be averted at all cost in Nigeria.

He spoke in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital when he received members of the steering committee on Community Resilience Forum who paid him a visit at his palace.

He said even the agitations for restructuring was not in the interest of unity and togetherness of the country.

Maikarfi noted that while other countries were breaking new grounds in technology and socio-economic development, it was a shame that some Nigerians were calling for war and disintegration of the country.

The Maigarin urged Nigerians to be their brother’s keeper by forgiving past wrongs and forgetting issues that could threaten the corporate unity of the nation.

He commended Trees on Earth Foundation for its partnership with CLEEN Foundation to reduce violence, fight extremism and its deradicalisation as a noble idea coming at a right time.

Executive Director, Trees on Earth Foundation, Moses Adedeji, said the central location of Lokoja, makes it a veritable ground to begin the campaign for peaceful coexistence.