Yoruba Mull Return to Pristine Tradition, Cultural Values to Tackle Insecurity

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

Following recent upsurge in killings, maiming and kidnappings in South West, the House of Oduduwa, yesterday, held a Yoruba security summit at Ojaja Arena, Ife Grand Resort, Ile-Ife, and sought a return to pristine Yoruba traditional, spiritual and cultural values to tackle growing insecurity.
A one day Yoruba Security Summit hosted by the Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi, called on the Yoruba Traditional rulers to return to their pristine traditional, spiritual and cultural values in order to get rid of security problems in the zone.

In a Communique issued at the end of the summit and signed by all Southwest Yoruba Traditional Rulers led by Ooni Adeyeye, they posited that at all times, the traditional rulers should recognise that, in spite of whatever nature of religion they practice, they must recognise that the stool they preside over was traditional.
The summit called on Yoruba traditional rulers to take full possession of their forests, homelands and farmlands.
The summit also called on Local, State and the federal government to employ use of drones and other appropriate technology for the effective surveillance of Yoruba forests and roads.

The summit agreed that the Yoruba security summit should be held on a quarterly basis so as to capture intervening and supervising variables in our polity.
According to the communique, “the entire Obas in Yorubaland should work in unison to ward off the evils of banditry and kidnappings as each of the states could only succeed in chasing the marauders to another state.

“That any Oba who is disinterested in Yoruba culture and custom should abdicate his throne for anyone who is deeply versed and interested in Yoruba traditions.
“That each time an attack took place, the offenders were quickly left off the hook by the powers that be and that the judicial process should be strengthened to mete out appropriate punishments to culprits or bring them to justice.

“That the Governors of South West Nigeria should organise Regional Security Summit at the earliest practicable time, including all stakeholders to chart the way forward and give teeth to all the concerns raised at this (current) summit.

“The security summit called for strong support for the administration of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the larger interest of Yoruba race.”