Yoruba obas deny involvement in crime

 Paramount rulers in Osun, Ondo and Ekiti States have rebutted insinuations of complicity in incidents of crime in their domains, attributing the rising wave of crime to erosion of traditional values.

In a survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the traditional rulers said that no first class oba in Yoruba land would descend so low as to engage in such a demeaning act.

According to the obas, the selection and installation of a first class oba in Yoruba land follow a rigorous process undertaken by the ruling families and the king makers, in which the nominees are investigated and examined to ensure that they meet the high standard of the office.

The Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III, said that the security challenges facing the country would have been reduced to the barest minimum if traditional rulers were empowered by the constitution to function as they used to do before the colonial era.

“People have been calling for roles for traditional rulers. I believe this is the right time for our country to benefit from the impact of what the traditional rulers can offer in nation building,” Oba Ogunoye said.

The Olowo said that no paramount ruler in Yoruba land would collude with criminals including bandits or kidnappers, to terrorise his people as the holder has fiduciary duty to his subject.

Oba Ogunoye, however, said that where such cases are found to occur, the traditional ruler would likely be local chiefs in charge of hamlets and villages, who have no integrity.

He appealed to his brother obas to ensure that only individuals worthy in morals and character are conferred with titles and not people with tainted reputations or convicted of crime, either at home or abroad.

“In Owo kingdom, we don’t just confer chieftaincy titles on any individual. Before we do so, the person must have been found worthy in character and must be of good behaviour that must have impacted our kingdom positively.

“And I will appeal to my brother obas to ensure that whoever is to be conferred with chieftaincy tittles should be searched inside out to avoid enthroning criminals on the people,” the first class traditional ruler said.

Also, Rev. Ayo Oladapo, a former Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Ondo State, said that security of lives and property of Nigerians and other people in the country was not debatable.

Oladapo said that everyone, including religious leaders, had a role to play in ensuring that there was enduring security of lives and property in the country.

He advised security agents to properly investigate any allegation of complicity in crime against any religious or traditional leader, adding that anyone found culpable should be arrested, irrespective of their status in the society.

The cleric implored religious and traditional leaders to support the government to tackle insecurity in the country through prayers, proper enlightenment of their followers and by volunteering useful information on criminals.

Speaking in the same vein, Alhaji Junaid Yunus, Chief Missioner, NASFAT, Akure, called Nigerians to return to our traditional values which views crime and criminality as despicable.

Yunus said that the society today had departed from the African norm of togetherness and become so individualistic; sometimes with a father, mother and their children living in isolation of the extended family or community.

He also expressed grave concerns at the materialistic nature of children of today, attributing the situation to the influence of Western culture, which according to him, differed from our traditional value system.

“Many adolescents acquire riches by any means, and nobody asks any questions.

“In the past, a neighbour would talk and ask questions even if the parents of such children chose to keep mute and pretend that all is well.

“We need to stand against this, so that we will not be sitting on a time bomb because as at today, the society.

Speaking on the issue, a chief in Iloro-Ekiti, Chief Kayode Adigun, said that the onus was on government to apprehend and put behind bars, traditional rulers openly carousing with bandits to effectively tackle the situation.

According to him, it is like those in authority have shied away from taking action on the issue.

He said there was also the need to dialogue with traditional and religious leaders on the issue, towards finding lasting solution to the menace.

Also speaking, Pastor Bayo Oluwaseyi said it was heartbreaking the allegations that some traditional rulers were supplying foodstuffs, ammunition, and other necessities to bandits.

He said those involved in such acts were liable of sabotage, saying providing such criminal with the strength and stamina to perpetrate their nefarious activities, was to say the least, wicked, callous and unpatriotic.