To rid the nation of insecurity and mindless destruction of lives and property, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has stressed the need for all stakeholders to unite with a sense of purpose.
This came as a traditional ruler in Ngeribarama community in Degema Local Council of Rivers State HRH, King Osoma Natrebo Enos Iwo, has also urged stakeholders to contribute meaningfully to the development of all communities to curb restiveness among the teeming jobless youths.
Adams made the call at a virtual International Conference, titled, ‘The Importance of Unity in Strengthening Security and Preventing Genocide in Yorubaland,’ organised by Yoruba One Voice (YOV) Worldwide. He said such unity will eradicate gaps in intelligence gathering and sharing, as well as response time to incidences of insecurity.
“There has been weak coordination among security actors occasioned by poor collaboration between government security agencies, local vigilantes, traditional institutions, and civil society,” he noted. He called on leaders at all levels to come together in the quest to decisively put an end to the security challenge.
“Unity is the bedrock upon which peace and security are built. In Yorubaland, our strength lies in our ability to come together as one people, transcending differences of origin, religion, or language.
“When we unite, we create a formidable force that can effectively safeguard our communities against threats and violence. The principle of unity is such that it rallies people for regional cohesion and integration, and fosters loyalty to Yorubaland above sectional loyalties,” he said. He noted that by embracing these ideals, Yorubaland can build a secure environment where every citizen feels protected and valued.
“This is more so because security is not solely the responsibility of the government or security agencies; it is a collective duty.
“When we stand united, we enhance intelligence sharing, community vigilance, and mutual support, making it difficult for any group to sow discord or perpetrate violence. Unity fosters trust and cooperation, which are essential in preventing conflicts from escalating into genocide or mass atrocities,” he added.
Adams noted that as part of the cooperation needed to address this hydra-headed security challenge, especially in the Southwest, governors of the six Southwest states had approved the creation of a Southwest Security Fund (SWSF) and a joint intelligence-sharing system as part of new measures to confront worsening insecurity in the region.
He commended the governors on the planned security fund, saying that the development was a direct answer to the kind of unity and collaboration he and other stakeholders had been calling for among the governors.
“Our governors should assist the Yoruba speaking communities in Kogi and Kwara States. They should invite all traditional rulers and community leaders in those areas for a meeting so as to collectively design the best approach to stop the kidnappings and mindless killings of our people.”
Adams stressed that stakeholders cannot afford to allow terrorists to create immense collateral damage in the Southwest region.
On his part, the Parakoyi Aare Ona Kakanfo, Prof. Kolawole Raheem, called for collective action against bandits who, he noted, were bent on displacing Yoruba people and dispossessing them of their lands and resources.
Raheem, a former faculty member at the Institute for Educational Research and Innovation Studies (IERIS), University of Education, Winneba, Ghana, enjoined political leaders to stop what he described as political genocide by dispossessing the less privileged of their lands and resources using what he called state capture.
The guest speaker, Prof. Adetayo Olurotimi Ogunlewe, bemoaned what he described as systematic targeting of Yorubaland given the patterns of attacks, kidnappings and displacement. He said that if unaddressed, the situation could escalate into widespread atrocities or genocide against Yoruba communities.
Ogunlewe, who is a former lecturer at Lagos State University (LASU) and also the Secretary, Lagos Literary Society, called on security stakeholders to launch out viciously against the bandits and terrorists with a view to clearing and exterminating them from their hideouts.
Earlier in his welcome address, Secretary General, YOV, Prince Adedokun Ademiluyi, noted that the growing insecurity ravaging Yorubaland and South West Nigeria had reached an alarming level that demands strategic urgent action.
Ademiluyi said it was in recognition of the severity of the challenge and the urgent need to mitigate the violence and general insecurity occasioned by the invasions that YOV organised the conference.
Another participant at the conference, who is a prominent member of YOV, Iyalode Abike Ade from the United Kingdom (UK), called for increased campaign and advocacy locally and internationally to raise awareness about all actions against Yoruba communities that can encourage and lead to genocide.
She also canvassed for support for grassroots initiatives to strengthen traditional security structures within legal and human-rights-compliant frameworks.
At the end of the conference, some of the recommendations given by participants include the need to establish a Yoruba Security Coordination Framework to create mechanisms for improved cooperation among local vigilantes, state security agencies, traditional rulers, and community networks for more coordinated intelligence-gathering and rapid response; and a need for regular security stakeholder meeting and conference to cross-fertilise ideas on ways to decisively tackle the challenge of insecurity in Yorubaland.
Speaking during his coronation ceremony recently, King Iwo called on private companies, NGOs, and relevant government ministries to invest in fish-farming infrastructure, training, and empowerment of youths as a way of preventing insecurity in the country.
He said: “Rivers State has, for many years, been surrounded with serious security challenges – militancy, vandalism of pipelines, cult-related violence, sea piracy, oil theft, and general youth restiveness; factors that have repeatedly disrupted oil production, displaced communities, and undermined the state’s economic potential.
“As a king, I will partner with companies, NGOs, and the government to redirect our youths not to do oil bunkering or other crimes but to engage in productive ventures, honest labour, and godly living.”
He called for specialised credit facilities, training on modern aquaculture methods and workshop programmes to build local capacity in fish processing, marketing, and sustainable environmental stewardship to get jobless Nigerians busy and divert their minds from criminality.
According to him, “Ngeribarama and indeed every other community must no longer wait for handouts. With God’s grace and the support of stakeholders, we will harness our rivers, our soil and our youths. We will produce fish farms, trade, and build our own future.”
He said the most striking deficit in Ngeribarama is education and appealed for partnerships with government, philanthropists, NGOs, and development agencies to provide educational facilities in the area.
He also urged the Rivers State government and civil society to take advantage of the fresh legitimacy given to him to channel development initiatives to Ngeribarama community.
“This throne is not mine alone; it belongs to every son and daughter of Ngeribarama. I beseech all – government, companies, and community – let us walk together in peace, build together in love, work together for prosperity.”
