Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has reiterated his strong conviction in the continued existence of the country as one despite the belief in some quarters that the country will divide come 2015.
Aregbesola said this in his remark, after a two-hour drama production put up by the renowned poet and playwright, Odia Ofeimun, at the grand finale of the yearly Osun Osogbo International Festival on Friday.
The production of the play is meant to add more colour to the annual festival to showcase the culture to the international tourists, who came for the festival.
This year’s Osun festival featured an eight-day Trade, Investment and Culture conference where foreign investors met with government and local business groups on trade partnership.
Drawing a lesson from the dance drama entitled: ‘Nigeria: The Beautiful,’ the governor lamented that the country has detracted from the part envisaged by its founding fathers.
“Our founding fathers dreamt of a nation great in every sense of the word. They actually laid the foundation of a great Nigeria.
“Unfortunately, one thing led to another and we are where we are today not where we are supposed to be.
“It means at some point we got it all wrong. Since then we have moved farther and farther from the dream of our founding father.
“I wish, hope and pray that we shall live to see the beauty of our country; the beauty and strength in our diversity,” Aregbesola said.
He noted that for Nigeria to get back on the path of growth and progress, the country has to practice true democracy.
