Ooni urges caution over herdsmen’s issue

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has urged all the states in the South West to be cautious in handling the alleged invasion of farms by cattle and other excesses of herdsmen.

The foremost Yoruba monarch made the appeal in Ado Ekiti, the state capital yesterday while on a visit to seek support for his campaign for unity among Yoruba traditional rulers.

The Ooni, who was hosted at the amphitheater at the palace of the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, said the citizens could not do without beef and therefore called for a careful handling of the reported cases of the destruction visited on some communities in Yorubaland.

He said the anti-grazing law of the state was welcome because Nigeria is a federation and Ekiti State is in a federation, but called for caution in the implementation of the law.

Oba Adejugbe expressed joy at the visit and recalled that in 1937, Oba Adesoji Aderemi visited the Ewi, and in 1980, Oba Olubuse II, Okunade Sijuade visited the Ewi and thanked God that in 2016, Oba Ogunwusi was visiting.

Governor Ayo Fayose expressed joy at the visit and said the visit was a celebration of life, “an event that so many people will live with for a very long time.”

He said: “You are in a good position to unite us, it is not by accident, not by age but by the grace of God. We want you to remember that it is not politicians that are our buffer but the people. That is why I insist that an action against Tinubu is an action against the Yoruba nation.”