The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has raised the alarm over the prevailing security challenges in the South West of Nigeria, saying that Yorubaland is troubled and darkness seems to be looming in the region.
He raised the alarm in a letter, titled: ‘Yorubaland is troubled, darkness looms,’ which he addresses to the six governors in the zone- Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos, Dapo Abiodun, Ogun, Seyi Makinde, Oyo, Ademola Adeleke ,Osun, Lucky Aiyedatiwa,Ondo,and Abiodun Oyebamji,Ekiti.
The pressing letter was also addressed to the governors of Kwara and Kogi states, as well as the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, all monarchs and traditional councils across Yorubaland, including Obaro of Kabba in Kogi State.
The letter highlighted the increasing threats to Yorubaland and offered possible solutions to tackle the problem.
Adams, who had raised similar issues recently said in the letter that ‘evil had entered Yorubaland, insisting that more than 60 million Yoruba living in the South West, parts of South-South and North-Central of Nigeria are troubled.
“On November 26, 2020, a first class traditional ruler in Ondo State, the Olufon of Ifon, Oba Israel Adeusi, who just left the Governor’s Office, Akure after a security meeting with the then Governor, the late Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, (may his soul rest in peace), was shot dead by suspected Fulani herdsmen on Akure-Owo Highway.All hell was let loose. Imagine the insult on the Yoruba race.
“The Yoruba, home and abroad, saw this as an unprecedented sacrilege.Youths in Ondo State immediately threatened to take up arms, but the then President Muhammadu Buhari pacified the Yoruba, saying the killers would be apprehended, but till today, the killers have not been apprehended.
“We thought we had seen the last of that sacrilege. But now, ‘Eemo ti Wolu’ (there is evil in the land). Even during the Kiriji War, I don’t think what happened a few days ago ever happened in Yorubaland.
“From Ekiti to Kwara states, three traditional rulers were shot dead by these blood-thirsty maniacs. The Alara of Ara who escaped in Ekiti narrated what happened and the people who perpetrated this heinous crime.
“Never in the history of Yoruba were three Obas shot dead in a spate of four days. So, obviously, evil has entered Yorubaland. And as our progenitors did, we must not appease this evil in our land. It must be dealt with immediately and decisively. But, that decisive action requires speed. The evil gradually creeping into Yorubaland is a monster which must be fought with all powers at our disposal.
“This scourge of foreign banditry is similar to the scorched-earth policy of the Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler, during the Second World War, an intentional course of military and para-military action that was drastic, maximum and ruinous.”
While urging the governors and other stakeholders to act fast on the present danger, he stated further that, “the clear and present danger’ is to behave as if this hydra-headed monster is not already constituting a problem.
“The matter is so serious now that some Yoruba are being abducted on the highway. If our people are afraid of going to their farms and travelling on the highway, danger looms.
“Due to the fact that this ‘cancer’ was not given an urgent and decisive operation when it started, it is now spreading like wildfire because the perpetrators get high financial returns with less risk, unlike armed robbery which involves a lot of risk and high uncertainty.
“We have a situation on our hands now in which if an intended victim escapes, the kidnappers will go for the wife. If she escapes, they will go for the children.
“Since nobody wants to lose a loved one, family members look for money by all means to pay these evil doers. And the vicious circle continues.
“Aside from making money from this evil venture, these killers and their sponsors want to destroy the economy of Yorubaland. That is why they must be stopped now.
“Kidnapping for ransom is already creating fear in Yorubaland and if our people can no longer go to farms or travel through the highways, our economy will be affected. We must wage war against kidnapping and the time for that fight is now.”
Adams maintained also that he was ready to flush out all the undesirable elements in the land, but added that he needs the permission of the governors to make this possible.