Traditionalists in the Southwest region of the country have supported the position of the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, on the need for community based state police amidst insecurity challenges in the country.
Addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, the Obarisa Agbaye of Ijo Olorisa Parapo ati Asa Adulawo Organisation, Oba Jamiu Adewale Eletu, blamed the festering insecurity situation in the Southwest region on internal connivance.
Eletu, who is the Alawoyaya of Awoyaya, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos, alleged that some indigenes were conniving with the marauding herdsmen to perpetrate kidnappings and killings in a bid to make money, describing this as reason why the challenges were difficult to curtail.
“Kidnapping is a serious issue. It is necessary for Yoruba people to beware, else what we don’t want will happen to us. Those blaming the Fulani herdsmen should also try and look inwards. No one can come from Kano or Jos and know our terrain. There are fifth columnists amongst us. Some farms were being used as hideouts and owners are collecting commissions from these criminals.
“How can you be seeing strange faces in your areas and you can’t report to the monarch or police and you are blaming government for insecurity? How do you get a tight security or want police to be effective when you bring someone from Kano to be heading Ekiti Police Command?
”It is sure that there will be compromise. Let there be federal and state police, but the state police must be community based,” he stated.
Eletu added that all traditional religion organisations are ready to assist the government because insecurity cannot be fought with guns alone.
As part of ways to promote tradition and culture, Eletu confirmed that the global traditional body will in 2020 hold the first ‘Igba Irunmole Festival ‘ in Ekiti State to promote culture and boost the economy.
He also debunked the insinuation that his members were aiding criminals like armed robbers, kidnappers and ICT fraudsters popularly known as ‘Yahoo Boys’.
He said the role of Oba Olorisa is purely spiritual and it is to promotion of culture, assuring that these roles would not undermine the traditional stools.
“The loss of our core values is instrumental to our global social, political and economic predicaments. This is also making the world a more dangerous place for human habitation.
”In line with our fundamental role in the promotion of the tradition, beliefs and culture of the Oduduwa descendants all over the world, our organization is celebrating the 1st World Igba-Irunmole Festival in Ekiti State.
“The festival is meant to celebrate the 201 gods that are recognized in the Yoruba mythology and further reawaken our consciousness and strengthen our spirituality towards our continued survival as humans.
“The choice of Ekiti State for the maiden edition of the festival is as a result of the cultural significance of the State and the spiritual presence of substantial number of notable Yoruba deities,such as Ogun, Osanyin, Esu, Ifa, Osun, Obalufon and so on in the State.
“The rich natural heritage and culture-tourism for which Ekiti State is noted also makes the State an appropriate location for such festival. Over Five Thousand global adherents of the Yoruba traditional religion as well as curious tourists will visit Ekiti,” he maintained.