The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has said he would rally all the six governors in the South West to involve the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, in securing the South West region against killings and kidnappings.
Oba Adeyeye said this in Ile-Ife, Osun State during the celebration of the 2024 edition of the Oodua Festival.
The festival, held on Wednesday, was organised by the Olokun Festival Foundation.
The Oonirisa, who was represented by the Obalufe of Ife Kingdom, Oba Idowu Adediwura, said the killings of two Obas in Ekiti State was a bad omen and a pointer to the fact that the South West is becoming too volatile as bad elements are making the region unsafe for the people.
Oba Ogunwusi added that he would do everything that is possible to get the nod of the governors to involve Iba Adams in securing the South West region.
He said: “It is time to use what we have to get what we want.
“We want peace in Yorubaland.
“We want effective security of lives and property.
“We want to sleep with our two eyes closed and we have a rising star who can make that possible.
“The Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, is the rising star who has what it takes to tackle the security challenges as he has been transforming the region through his cultural promotion activities for the past two decades.”
Iba Adams, in his remarks called for a holistic approach to solving the security scourge across Nigeria, assuring the governors of the South West region that if they involve him in their efforts to curb the raging spate of insecurity, he was sure that the challenges in the region would reduce drastically within six months.
He said: “As the Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, we will not allow the Plateau massacre to be replicated in any part of Yorubaland.
“But it must be stated that there is the urgent need for a lasting synergy between the government and the people at the grassroots.
“With the present security situation in the country, it is obvious that the government cannot do it alone.
“The battle to curb the spate of insecurity should be a collective effort and the government should involve us in addressing this issue.
“If the governors of the South West involve me in their efforts to curb insecurity in the region, I assure you that the security challenges in the region will reduce drastically within six months.”
The Osun State Commissioner for Arts and Culture, Abiodun Fafa, who represented Governor Ademola Adeleke, said as from next year, the state government will partner with the Olokun Festival Foundation in celebrating Oodua Festival in Ile Ife.
Fafa added that Governor Adeleke appreciated Aare Adams’s efforts in driving the Osun State tourism potentials through the just concluded Oodua People’s Union World Congress, where over 200 delegates of the prominent Yoruba diaspora organisation stayed in Osogbo, the state capital, for five days and injected several millions of naira into the state’s economy.
He said: “We didn’t know that the Oodua Festival is such a big event.
“I assure you that by next year, the Osun State Government will be involved.
“What Aare Gani Adams is doing with the OPU is a pride to all of us and I think the Yoruba will always be grateful to him for promoting the culture and tradition of our race, not only in Nigeria but across the world.
“OPU delegates were in Osogbo for five days.
“They gave free health care to the people
“They built borehole for the people to have access to pipe borne water and they inject several millions into the state economy through feeding and accommodations.
“This was a good gesture that must be appreciated.
The Guest Lecturer, Dr. Morufu Omigbule, from the Faculty of Arts, Department of English, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, spoke on: “Rituals in Yorubaland and the need to preserve the heritage.”
Omigbule said Yorubaland is lucky to have Iba Adams as the Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, adding that it is the responsibility of all Yoruba Obas to support him in his efforts to promote the culture and traditions of the Yoruba race.
He said: “I have been monitoring Aare Gani Adams for over two decades and I saw his consistency.
“I admire his resilience in driving the cultural promotion activities of Yoruba race and I think it is time for all Yoruba Obas to support this worthy cause.
“That is the best way to preserve our heritage in Yorubaland.”
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The Special Adviser to the Osun State Governor on Security Matters, Samuel Ojo, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Internal Security and Local Matters, Dr. Adekunle Omoyele, in their separate remarks spoke on the efforts of the state government in ensuring effective security in the state.
They urged the OPU delegates to come and invest in the state, insisting that the Osun State Government is doing everything possible to attract foreign investors into the state.
No fewer than 10 prominent Obas were at the event as lucky winners of a raffle draw went home with a motorcycle and various gift items like standing fans and pressing iron.
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