Follow Us on Google
From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has urged governors in the Southwest states to collaborate with the O’odua Peoples Congress (OPC) to tackle insecurity in the region.
Adams, the 15th Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, said the OPC has been very passionate about the development and security of the Southwest over the years and has been receiving accolades for providing robust security assistance in the region.
While restating OPC’s readiness to support the state governments, he explained that collaborating with the organisation will help to strengthen and tighten the security architecture across the six states of the Southwest.
He made the remarks during the National Coordinating Council (NCC) meeting of the OPC in Ado-Ekiti, capital of Ekiti State, where he also disclosed the import of the meeting.
“Today’s National Coordinating Council (NCC) meeting is a meeting we normally hold in every state. Ekiti National Coordinating Council meeting is long overdue. This meeting was supposed to have been held last year, but because of some reasons we had to reschedule it to this year.
“The purpose of the meeting is to give orientation to our members, brief them on the things we have been able to do in the organisation, instil discipline in members, how to coordinate the organisation properly, and educate members how they can be of good character in the society.”
Commenting on insecurity and his expectations from the Southwest governors, he said the state governors still need to do more to address the rising regional insecurity.
“We have challenges, especially in this area in the Southwest, and people always call me and say, what are you doing as the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland? The Aare Ona Kakanfo of the modern age is not as powerful as in the days of old when we had an empire.
“The issue of security is the responsibility of governors who are the Chief Security Officers of their states, and I have written letters to the six governors in the Southwest that we need to partner with them, but they haven’t responded, and we have some threats in some communities like some criminals, Fulani herdsmen, and other criminal activities.”
While underscoring the importance of synergy, he appealed to state governors to collaborate with the OPC. He added that the OPC is a well-known private organisation that the people call during distresses, and it is willing to provide more support to sanitise the region.
“We are appealing to state governors that they should embrace synergy. We are ready to partner with them. We are not saying that we want to intrude on their security architecture; we want to give them support as a private organisation so that we can have sanity in our region, so that we can have peace and tranquillity in the different communities, so that our farmers can go to farms without fear, because if we don’t protect our farmers, there is a tendency of having famine in Yorubaland, and if we don’t protect our farmers, the commercial activities of our agriculture will go down, so we have to protect them. And we also have to protect our youths.”
Other News
In his remarks, the Owa Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adebayo Adewole, praised the OPC for providing security assistance and its contributions to preserving Yoruba culture and protecting traditional institutions.
Oba Adewole hailed Gani Adams’ leadership, describing him as “a divine gift to the Yoruba race.” He lauded the OPC for consistently supporting Yoruba monarchs, especially during periods of unrest.
He congratulated Adams for bringing the OPC’s National Coordinating Council meeting to Ekiti State and hailed the organisation’s presence in over 103 countries, describing it as a testament to its global relevance and commitment.
Ekiti State Coordinator of OPC, Chief Idowu Folorunsho, who said the organisation has been offering supportive roles to state governments, pledged the organisation’s continued support to protect the Southwest.
“The role we play is very vital in the society, because the police call on us when there is a crisis. If there is a case of kidnapping, the abductors take their abductees to the forest. The police will call on us, and we are the ones that will comb the forest. And we can be in the forest for a whole day or more searching for the kidnappers, and at the end of the day, it is the police that will be commended.
“As for us, we have taken the job as our own, and whenever the police call on us, we will respond whether they reward us or not.”
He commended the state governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, for acknowledging the organisation’s efforts in providing support to boost the security architecture in the state.
“The state government is good to us. The state government is performing its role as a father to everybody in the state. I commend their efforts and support for the OPC in the state.”
Former OPC Coordinator in Ekiti and Kogi States, Comrade Sola Ojo, also urged the Ekiti State Government to work closely with the OPC to enhance security in the state.
“But while the government is trying, I appeal for greater collaboration with the OPC, especially in Ekiti State.”
He lamented that efforts to partner with government security agencies in the past had been hindered by existing security structures and lack of funding.
