…As Iba Gani Adams, Otubanjo, others task FG on restructuring
By Adeyinka Adeniran
Foremost Yoruba Diaspora Organization, Yoruba One Voice (YOV) has expressed concern over the raging spate of insecurity in Yoruba land, saying the Southwest has become vulnerable to threats emanating from kidnapping and killings.
The organization made this known during the International Conference held at the weekend via zoom with 300 participants spreading across 5000 online platforms in all the six continents of the world.
In his remarks, the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, who is the Grand Patron of the organization, said members of Yoruba One Voice across the world are worried about protracted cases of insecurity in the country, most especially, in Yorubaland with many, including three traditional rulers as victims of the growing scourge.
The Yoruba generalissimo stated further that the parliamentary system of government remains the best solution to solving the structural imbalances in the country.
He pointed out that the conference was a timely intervention to the various challenges in the country, adding that there is urgent need to get the country out of the woods.
Adams said, “This conference is a wake up call to everybody that is involved in the management of our region. Issue of security is fundamental to the growth and development of every nation. However, we can not continue to pretend as if nothing is wrong.
“As far as I am concerned, I think there is need for another security conference to address the pressing demand for restructuring. The first security conference was the one that led to the establishment of Amotekun. And there is need to enhance the operation of Amotekun as well as the security architecture of the south west.
“It could have been worse, but for the series of letters I wrote to the international communities and my interventions on the security in the Southwest have been worthwhile in the past few years. So, whatever problem we face today has to do with the structure of our government. I have been advocating restructuring as the best solution to the structural imbalances of Nigeria.
“With the Parliamentary system of government, every region will be at liberty to address its political and socio- economic problem and the central will be vibrant. With regional government across the six geo- political zones, Nigeria will explore the beauty of our diversity and there will be effective competitions and healthy rivalries among the various regions. Each region would develop at its own pace. The federating units will have their policing structure that will take care of the safety at the region”.
The Guest lecturer, Prof. Olufemi Otubanjo, a professor of Political Science, University of Lagos spoke on the topic entitled: “Yorubaland bleeding on the scourge of kidnappers: Proffering solution to security threats”.
He highlighted the need to be proactive in securing the Southwest, adding that there is need to identify the possible threats in our various environments. The university don also described the seven types of threats, saying both internal and external threats are existential to human nature.
He noted that it is reasonable to measure the various threats and the impact on the lives of the people.
“Threats are heterogeneous. Human beings are products of various social and environmental threats that are either internal or external, depending on our ability to identify those threats. As human beings, we are also liable to threats that are occasioned by many factors such as both human and environmental.
“Yorubaland is, no doubt bleeding, and the best we can do now is to be proactive by being conscious of the threats and also plan against those threats by looking at possible solution to combating the scourge of kidnappings across Yorubaland. We should evolve a mitigation strategy that can help in reducing the kidnapping scourge across the Southwest.
“Every society is responsible for the kind of threats it is experiencing. For instance, the prevailing security challenges across the country was as a result of our failed society. The kidnapping scourge in Yoruba does not occur in isolation. It is the bye-product of the Nigerian failed society and there is a need for urgent responses.
“There is need for community policing where people would be conscious of how to secure themselves as well as the people of their community”, Otubanjo said.
While analyzing the economic history of Nigeria, Mr. Debo Adekoya went down the memory lane, giving a graphical representation of Nigeria’s economic situation since independence. He said former President Muhammadu Buhari left the country on May 29 2023 with an external debt of 47 billion dollars.
YOV General Secretary, Prince Adedokun Ademiluyi said the Yoruba organization will continue to pursue the ideology of a true, fair and just society, where all Yoruba will be liberated, adding “we will never relent in our efforts to seek good government across Yorubaland because that is the ideal of our organization.”
In her remarks, Iyalode Abike Ade urged the Federal Government to address the economic situation of the country, saying Nigerians abroad are feeling the heat, insisting that the current hardship in Nigeria has also dealt a deep blow on them with the economic situation of their families back home being affected.
She said the feeling abroad was that the safety of Nigerians cannot be guaranteed and the current hardship has affected the entire country, saying “there is need for the Federal Government to look inwards and see how it can salvage the situation. Nigeria is going through a lot of challenges. The security deficit is affecting us, as well as the poor economy and nobody is spared”.
Conference moderator, Prince Adesegun Dosumu also reaffirm the fact that YOV will continue to use the international conferences to address pressing issues in the country.
