As a new wind of insecurity blows through the land of the descendants of Oduduwa, it appears that the wisdom of the ancestors has once again been vindicated. They observe that it is normal that a child be afraid when confronted with a fearful situation. The geography of fear and the extent of the population it captures is however proportional to the seriousness of the situation. Certainly, it is not only children that are susceptible to fear.
Conventional and new media reports of barbaric kidnappings across the Southwest have been relentless. While some of the horrific stories have had multiple reports on multiple platforms, there have also been reports of new cases almost on a weekly basis. While some of these horrendous crimes are reportedly committed on major highways, including the Ibadan-Ife road, many others have been reported in rural locations in the zone, the latest being the case of a caterer in Igboora in Ibarapa area of the state.
Beside the media, cases have been reported by families and friends of victims as well as eye-witnesses. These reports have also been specific about routes and locations that are notorious for kidnapping, including sleepy places that have surprisingly become dens of kidnappers: between Maya and Ado-Awaye on the abandoned Lagos-Sokoto highway; between Olugbade and Idi-Igba on Iseyin-Okeho road; between Moniya and Iseyin on Ibadan-Iseyin road, between Okeho and Ilero; the Opara Forest Reserve near Ijio close to the Benin Republic Border; and Igboho-Igbeti axis. These are all in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State.
While there have been reported cases of armed robbery and kidnapping by Yoruba indigenes across these areas, many of the reports have identified Bororo Fulani herders as culprits. Graphic pictures of victims have been posted on social media platforms, causing serious panic among the populace. Not eager to become a victim, many are reluctant to travel out of Lagos or Ibadan to their hometowns. If citizens are this wary of travel in their homeland, how can they invite foreigners to visit for direct investment in the local economy?
For victims, it has been traumatic. For the rest of the residents who have been spared of the ordeal thus far, the thought of being potential victims is especially unbearably troubling. Security platforms have emerged across the land, with local communities figuring out what strategies they need to combat the scourge. There are ongoing non-governmental efforts, which include traditional institutions, across the region.
The Yoruba Diaspora is not left out of these efforts. As the leading organization of Yoruba people in North America, Egbe Omo Yoruba, has initiated Town Hall meetings across the United States and Canada to sensitize Yoruba professionals resident in these developed countries about the plight of their people.
In a release signed by the current President, Dr. Durojaye Akindutire and some past presidents, Egbe Omo Yoruba, which led the struggle against military dictatorship in the 1990s, observes that Yorubaland is now “in the middle of a security crisis that we did not even witness during the military era. Our people are afraid to venture out of their villages and cities because of the menace of kidnappers.” The Egbe also assures Diaspora Yoruba that they are not immune from the plight of their homeland compatriots as demonstrated by the “horrific story of one of us who went home with her family and suffered the most humiliating and traumatic experience that we do not wish even for our bitterest enemies”. The Egbe urged privileged Yoruba patriots enjoying God-given comforts in their land of sojourn to come together to secure their homeland. Homeland security is also a major theme of the forthcoming 25th anniversary celebration of the Egbe next month in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This is how seriously the matter is taken by the Yoruba in the Diaspora.
However, it is not lost on the initiators of all such efforts that no matter what they do or attempt to do, they must have a buy-in by the local, state, and federal governments. Hiring security personnel equipped with lethal weapons is not an option since only the government has the monopoly of the use of force.
It is on this score that the recent stakeholders’ security summit initiated by DAWN Commission in collaboration with Southwest state governors must be commended as a turning point. The attendance of stakeholders, including many traditional rulers and all the state governors irrespective of their party affiliation, is a sign of success.
Additionally, however, the speakers demonstrated an acute awareness of the danger that looms in the horizon in their region. As Governor Seyi Makinde, the lone PDP governor in the region put it, a kii fi ejo sori orule sun. It is dangerous and imprudent to go to bed knowing that there is a dangerous snake hiding in the bedroom ceiling. Furthermore, Babajide Sanwoolu, the young and dynamic governor of Lagos State gave us the assurance that “actionable and sustainable plan with milestones is our goal.” With this focused attention by our governors on the challenges of insecurity, should we not thank them and go to bed, confident that we are in good hands?
Far from it. And I am sure that the governors also would be the first to insist that all hands be on the deck in this matter. Elected officials from local government councilors and chairmen to representatives in the state and federal houses need members of the public to continually work with them to carry out their assignments. Of course, governors are the Chief Security Officers of their states. To succeed, however, they need actionable intelligence from the public. “See something, say something” is a reliable ageless security strategy. In fairness to our people, this is one area where they have been highly alert to their communal responsibilities.
As mentioned above, almost every local community has a security committee. This is just a modern-day extension of our indigenous system of protecting our communities with nighttime security guards. We are seeing variants of these across the land. While the Federal Government is still contemplating what to do about state and community policing, here’s one area where we can invest our energies and resources for self-protection. We have organizations such as OPC, Yoruba Koya, etc. which have made the security of Yorubaland their life project.
I am not unaware of a few past missteps of some of these organizations including unwise partisan miscalculations. But as the elders note, forgetting past misunderstandings is a prerequisite to lasting friendship. To my mind, it is high time these organizations were lifted from the margins into open and effective collaboration with our governments to execute a security plan for the entire region.
Of course, any effective security plan would require massive funding. With poverty at an unprecedented level in our land, we have an almost impossible task. Yet, inaction puts us at the mercy of kidnappers and armed bandits, whether indigenous or foreign, which makes it impossible to get out of the scourge of poverty. It is obvious, then, what the logic of our predicament dictates. If our people know what is at stake, and they are assured that no one, including those in position of power, is a freeloader, they are ready to make their own contribution.
What this means is that our governors and elected officials across the region must lead the charge. They must be transparent with the people about how they use their security votes. They must coordinate their efforts. We have no borders across the zone. As Ibadan-Ife road has demonstrated, insecurity is easily transportable. The security of one state as good as that of the neighboring state. Hence, the wisdom of collaboration.
Once the governors, by their action, have the public’s trust, there would be a willingness on the part of the latter, including traditional institutions, various stakeholders, and Diaspora Yoruba to make sacrifices necessary to fight the scourge. As Chief Security Officers, the buck stops at their desk and the ball is still in their court. They are well endowed to lead this charge. We look up to their non-partisan efforts. God help them as they lead with fortitude and courage.
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