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By Oluseye Ojo
In a bid to ensure national reconciliation and political synergy, President Bola Tinubu has urged Nigerians to discard bitterness and divisive tendencies.
He made the remarks in his address on Thursday at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, during the 2026 Samuel Ladoke Akintola Memorial Lecture, which marked the 60th remembrance of the legendary former Premier of the Western Region, who was assassinated in the bloody military coup of January 15, 1966.
Tinubu, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, called for a return to the politics of cooperation, championed by the late Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola.
This was contained in a press statement issued by Yomi Odunuga, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
He described Akintola as a bridge-builder whose ultimate sacrifice should serve as a blueprint for modern Nigerian statecraft.
According to him, the lecture, with the theme: ‘Unity in Diversity: Lessons from Chief Ladoke Akintola’s Legacy’, served as a scholarly and political retrospective on a man often described as one of Nigeria’s most astute tacticians.
Tinubu noted that Akintola’s politics of cooperation was not merely a strategy, but a philosophy aimed at pulling the Western Region into the national mainstream to ensure an equitable distribution of wealth, a doctrine which Akintola famously called the ‘fair share’.
“Chief Akintola’s greatest legacy lay in his ideals… his advocacy of a bridge-building philosophy that emphasised consensus over conflict and national unity over regional isolation,” the President stated.
Reflecting on the 1966 coup that claimed the lives of Akintola, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, Tinubu noted that the tragedies underscored the “grave consequences of disunity and political intolerance.”
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He challenged the historical narrative that justified the coup on the grounds of corruption, pointing out that Akintola was a prolific builder, who contributed immensely to the massive developmental projects in the South West, including the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU); Nigeria Airways; and University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.
Addressing the current socio-economic climate, Tinubu linked his administration’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda to the foundations laid by Akintola.
He urged Nigerians to exercise patience and understanding as his reforms begin to yield fruits.
While acknowledging the South-West’s massive contributions to the Nigerian project, the President assured the region that his administration remains attentive to its needs for infrastructure and cultural preservation.
He emphasised that diversity should be harnessed as a source of strength rather than a wedge for division.
Tinubu, who was the special guest of honour at the memorial lecture, stated that the remembrance of past tragedies like the 1966 coup should not be used to reopen old wounds, but to heal them through a renewed commitment to the Nigerian union.
He called on the current crop of politicians to emulate Akintola’s resilience and his preference for dialogue over acrimony, asserting that unity remains the only viable path to lasting peace.
The programme was attended by dignitaries, including the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, Arusa I, and Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu.
