Alake preaches religious tolerance as Egba mark Lisabi festival

THE Egba Monarch, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo has appealed to religious leaders to educate their followers on the need for religious tolerance.

  The Monarch who spoke in Abeokuta also urged the country’s political leaders to see it as their collective responsibility by ensuring that nothing is done to ignite religious crisis in the country.

    Oba Gbadebo who spoke at a Pree Conference, organised to highlight the activities lined up to mark this year’s annual “Lisabi Day” celebration stressed “All of us have the responsibility to promote religious harmony in the general interest of the country”.

     The “Lisabi Day” celebration is an annual event put together by the Egbas to celebrate one of their greatest worriors (Lisabi) who rescued them from Oyo domination.

       The theme of this year’s celebration which is the 29th is “Collective Responsibility: Panacea to Economic Development of Egbaland”.

      The Lagos Branch Manager of Globacom, sponsors of the event, Mr. Yomi Ogunbamowo in his speech stated, “As a proudly Nigerian company, we are irrevocably committed to the promotion of cultural values, ethics and ethos. Hence, our sponsorship of major festivals across the country”.

      The Monarch who stated that the main aim of the celebration was to foster unity among his subjects expressed joy that there had always been a religious harmony in Egbaland.

      Refering to those whose utterances and practices promote religiouscrisis, Oba Gbadebo said “The government must ensure that those who make things difficult in a decent society are taken away and kept behind bars”.

    He seized the oppurtunity to explain the reason he appointed Coronet traditional rulers, which attracted a lot of criticism. He explained that the idea behind it was for them to use their positions to attract developments to their areas.

   Oba Gbadebo commended Globacom for its humanitarian services to the people and also praised it for being of international standard.

    “Without sounding immodest, I wish to state that empowerment in various forms is our forte in Globacom and we have directly and indirectly empowered millions of Nigerians since we started perations eleven years ago”, Ogunbamowo affirmed.

    His words “Currently, we are making millionaires in the Glo Overload promo. Forty lucky Nigerians have won so far, while eighty more millionaires will still be made in the Glo Overload promo”.

    According to Ogunbamowo “One of the aim of Globacom was to encourage the youths to be patrotic and serve their fatherland”.

   The Chairman of the Planning Committee of the event, Commander Rasheed Raji, two-time Military Administrator of Bauchi and Sokoto States, listed sustainability of unity among the Egbas, revival of some

aspects of Egba culture and promotion of friendship as few of the achievements of “Lisabi Day” celebration.

    The one week celebration begins on Monday, March 9 and ends on Sunday, March 15 with a royal banquet.

     Among activities lined up for the celebration are quiz, essay and football competitions among secondary school students in the State.