20th July, 2019
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Saturday held consultations with the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona and Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, as well as other monarchs in Ogun.
The consultations were on the way out of the security challenges currently confronting Nigeria.
Osinbajo was accompanied to the palaces of Adetona and Ajayi by Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun.
Answering reporters’ questions after separate meetings with monarchs, the Vice President noted that the consultations would be done with traditional rulers across the country to ensure peace and security in their communities.
“As you know, there are many significant concerns all over the country; and of course there are concerns also in the South West. So, I’m here on the instruction of Mr. President to consult with the Kayibesi, Governor Dapo Abiodun and other stakeholders on what to do to beef up security, and to generally improve the security architecture,” according to the VP.
After meeting the Awujale, the VP said “of course, you know that the Kabiyesi is not just the traditional ruler, but also a very important part of the government. That’s why we are here to speak with him and to agree on a few modalities for beefing up security, ensuring that we are fully conscious of all that is going on around us, and just to be sure that peace and security reigns here and across the country.
“There are some who might want to cause instability and difficulties, but we are very confident that God helping us, working together as a nation, we will be able to overcome all our problems and set our country on the path of peace and prosperity,” he noted.
The Vice President further said the Federal Government, in collaboration with State Governments, has taken significant steps to improve security, while there would be further consultations with the traditional rulers.
Prof. Osinbajo noted that the governor of the state was committed “to ensuring there is peace and security and that everyone who lives in all our neighbourhoods, localities and communities live in peace with each other and that we maintain a high level of security.”
On the nationwide consultations with traditional rulers to improve security in their respective communities, the VP said, “we are consulting with many of the traditional rulers all across the country. But there are concerns in the South West. I’ve started here in Ogun. We are also going to be in Osun State on Tuesday. We are also going to go round and see several other traditional rulers. Primarily, they themselves want to participate. We’ve spoken at various times and they want to participate in improving the security architecture.”
“One of the things that Mr. President has spoken about is the role of traditional rulers in maintaining peace and security in their own locality. As you know, they are the closest to the grassroots, to their communities. And one of the critical things that we expect is that even with our community policing efforts; we expect that there would be some interventions between the traditional rulers, the community police and some of the other efforts that they are making to improve intelligence to understand what is going on. We need to know who is where and what exactly is happening all around, so that these can then be transmitted to the security agencies.”
The Vice President would continue on the consultations early next week.
He noted that Nigeria had the potential to give its citizens all they desired.
Osinbajo, however, said that some people were working against the interest of the country by trying to cause instability.
He expressed optimism that by God’s grace, Nigeria would overcome all its problems and set itself on the path of peace and prosperity.
“One of the critical things we expect with our community policing efforts is some integration between the traditional rulers, the community and police; and efforts they are making to improve intelligence; and we need to understand what is going on.
“We need to know who is where and what exactly is happening all around so they can be transmitted to the more formal security agencies such as the police and the army, depending on where and what the situation is,” he said.
The vice president had earlier attended the installation of 90-year-old Chief Emmanuel Osibona as the Father of the Church, ‘Baba Ijo’, of Our Saviour’s Anglican Church, Ikenne, Ogun, his hometown.