The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, has called on Nigerians to stand together against those who are described as ‘blood guzzlers’ and enemies of the state, who take solace in the mindless killings of innocent souls.
The monarch said he would reinforce collective will, to completely snatch the country and destiny from the jaws of insanity and barbarism, just as socio-cultural orientations that uphold the sanctity of life and the intrinsic dignity of the human person must never be surrendered to the ungodly.
Oba Owoade gave the charge on the heels of recent killings of some people who were of Yoruba extraction by suspected Fulani herdsmen at Oke Ode area in Kwara State.
He spoke in a statement issued by the media Aide, Bode Durojaiye, on Thursday.
Disturbed about the development and putting into consideration the fact that Yorubas and Fulanis had for decades been living harmoniously without let or hindrance, Alaafin said he had contacted the Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, on the incident and how best he could come in to nip the criminal onslaught of the bandits.
The governor, in his response, the statement added that he lauded the Alaafin for his concerned, visionary style of administration and assured that a battalion of soldiers had been deployed to the scene of the gory incident.
The Alaafin, who lamented about killings and wondered why the herdsmen became threats to peace and security, added that they had long been in existence without serious criminal records, as is presently the case.
Oba Owoade enjoined the Federal Government to ensure that all those found culpable in the mindless killings in Kwara state are brought to justice and to serve as a credible deterrence.
According to the Alaafin, “There can be no national development without relative peace and stability. There have been greater challenges of security in recent times than at any point in time in our history, thus rendering our political stability fragile, democratic institutions and processes fluid.
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“Government, political leaders and followers, and all of us, must have the courage and honesty to get to the root causes of our current state of insecurity, underpinned by criminality, insurgency, and, of recent, terrorism by herdsmen.
“Our leaders and followers should not take the issue of security for granted, but ensure urgent and immediate steps are taken to consciously respond to current threats by architectonic designing and building a security system that would create a stable and relatively peaceful environment, conducive to national development. We must accept the reality that while it is necessary to create unity in diversity, we must identify and respect our differences, which is diversity in unity.”
While eulogising security agencies for their steadfastness and commitment to duties, Alaafin, who warned against acts that are detrimental to peace, orderliness, and unity of the country, assured all ethnic groups living in the metropolis of adequate protection of lives and properties.
“Before now, the Oyo Empire under the reign of Alaafin not only remained the first to provide cattle ranches for Fulani herdsmen in Yoruba land, another ten acres of land were made available for the convenience of the herdsmen, free of charge, to ensure a harmonious relationship and peaceful co-existence among all ethnic groups residing in the metropolis.
“Whenever there are skirmishes between farmers and the herdsmen, the royal father would adopt his age-long conflict resolution mechanisms, which provide an opportunity to interact with the parties concerned, promote consensus-building, social bridge reconstructions, and enactment of order in the Empire.”
