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Ekiti monarchs ready to ensure Amotekun’s success –Oba Ajibade Alabi

His Royal Majesty, Oba Adebanji Ajibade Alabi (Afuntade 1), the Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Ekiti South West Local Government area of Ekiti Stae is the Chairman of Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers. In a media parley with selected journalists in his palace in Ilawe Ekiti to mark his first year anniversary, the Ekiti Royal Chair enumerated his efforts at ensuring Federal Government’s endorsement of Western Security Network tagged Amotekun with promise to continue to ensure that Ekiti Royal Fathers adequately play their roles in maintaining peaceful and conducive atmosphere. ADEWUMI ADEMIJU reports…

Your emergence as Chairman Traditional Council of Monarchs in Ekiti, clocks a year,how has it been ?

As royal fathers we are very close to people in the grassroots , I ensure since my emergence as Chairman Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers to see that monarchs in the state harness the nearness to people in assisting government in the area of security. Our monarchs all over the state , in all the settlements have the rare privilege of having access to various happenings in our various kingdoms and domains, what I did was to take advantage of that in most of our meetings at the early stage.

We were able to have a compilation of the security situation in the state, to look at what has been happening in our various domains, see areas where we could be of assistance to government we have a lot of communication with the state government , we make a lot of contribution bringing the attention of government on security and what is needed to be done, we are most grateful that we have a government that listens, the government of Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, we are able to take advantage of this.

The security agencies in the state, we obliged them with information on the porous areas, areas susceptible to kidnap, the route they were using with different kind of information on security, due to our contributions and determination of the state government to surmount insecurity , we were able to nip the problem of insecurity in the bud. Prevalence of kidnap became a thing of the past, we thank the government for being proactive in this respect and for listening to all our contribution, because the essence of government is for security of lives and properties. On issue of security at regional and national level, Inspector General of police had a meeting with frontline Traditional Rulers, Southwestern Nigeria, late August 2019, I made a presentation at that summit on behalf of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, in my contribution, I made it apparent that our borders with neighbouring countries are contiguous and porous and this has accounted for the influx of foreigners who have been perpetrating evils and crisis in our country and there was need for government to reduce the influx of foreigners.

At that meeting in Ibadan, I made them realize we cannot sacrifice our security on the order of ECOWAS protocol which allowed free movement of people, that this government must be proactive and see what to be done. I spoke extensively on disarmnment, using of arms to perpetrate evils, I equally made them realize the need to empower traditional rulers being close to the grassroots, so that they will be very useful to government in the area of security I can say without mincing words that I was highly delighted that shortly after, less than two months, our boarders were closed and the influx of the criminal elements from neighbouring countries and contiguous zones was abated , my contribution at that summit contributed towards the action the government took.

On Western Security Network -Amotekun

Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers under my leadership has been very proactive, dynamic and forward looking, for instance we contributed towards the initiative of Western Nigeria security network, Amotekun on January 9, when it was launched the only 2 traditional rulers present at the ceremony in Ibadan were the Ooni of Ife (who is the father of all traditional rulers in Yoruba land ) and my humble self we contributed immensely, on the launching of Amotekun, we rose in the midst of that initiative because its being a very laudable and commendable one, I spoke extensively on the need for Federal Government to allow Amotekun to be, at the end, the Federal Government agreed that Amotekun should be given the opportunity.

Coming back home in Ekiti, I have made substantial contribution towards Amotekun initiative in the state on behalf of the traditional rulers, when the governor signed the protocol in Ekiti, people were present to deliberate on the focus in a way that it would be our pride, how it would live up to expectation, recruitment, deployment. At large, the process is on, monarchs were fully involved and would ensure it takes place in a way that would be in tandem with modern security outfit involved in all activities of Amotekun, we are making our contribution, in the area of security

On dispute management in Ekiti state?

As the chairman of TraditionaL rulers, on behalf of my colleagues , we have been able to settle a lot of disputes in our various communities, whenever we hear of any disagreement. problems here and there, we move in there swiftly and speedily without any tension and ensure that peace reigns supreme in our various communities and that is why we enjoy relative peace in the state .

What about the crisis that occurred at the outset of your appointment as Traditional Council Chair?

I want you to understand that it’s a family affair, anything that is good, there must be struggle for it,, people say nothing g o o d comes easy, I’m glad I appreciate my colleagues – all monarchs in Ekiti State for the support they have given me in the last one year, we have resolved our differences, it’s a family dispute, there is no family without disagreement, dispute , most important thing for us is resolution, we appreciate our own Kabiyesi Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi for leaving his domain in Ife and coming to Ekiti to assist us, to speak to us on the need to work together, I can assure you since then we have been working together, I carry everybody along I have high respect for all the monarchs, respect is mutual.

Looking at the impact of western culture /civilization in African society, in which traditional stakeholders are working to ensure African culture is not eroded, do you have any plan during your time as royal chair, to specially work on preservation of culture especially in Ekiti in a way that you will be remembered for that at the end of your tenure ?

Unfortunately this time we are living in a very perilous time , some of the things would have been done and accomplished especially in the area of African culture and tradition , The COVID- 19 has not been a blessing at all, it has led to social distancing, people isolating themselves even when no symptoms of the disease, fear of COVID is the beginning of wisdom , that has made it a little bit difficult for us to intermingle, to interact and even have some of our festival celebrated, but the fact that things are easing up now, we would be able to ensure that we continue to make people realize the importance, the relevance of the African culture and tradition , festivals would be a way of doing this, we would not hesitate to make sure we make our ancestral customs very robust, improve on what it used to be , if not for COVID, there had been plans to even travel outside, I was making that plan for some of our obas to Carribean and some South America countries for us to be able to showcase our culture , customs..

During our sojourn in foreign service, I happened to have served in the Carribean, Jamaica, people are so much in love with African culture and tradition, I was having it in plan that we would be able t o visi t them, educate them showcase our culture, customs and tradition, but unfortunately, it was aborted by the pandemic. I still have it in mind as soon as we ease up all these lockdown and things associated with COVID, we would be able to project African tradition not only in Nigeria, but outside the country.

Now that schools are reopening at least for those in SS3 with worship centers, but considering the increase in effect of pandemic claiming lives of prominent people in the country, what’s your advice and also that celebration of traditional festival had been banned due to coronavirus; considering the fact that some festivals are traditionally attached to royal thrones, what do you make out of this?

On the issue of reopening of our economy and various sectors sequel to need to put an end to the lockdown, it has to be done gradually, which the government is doing, the opening up shouldn’t be taken for granted, because COVID is a reality, we have to exist with it for a very long time, it’s my hope that we would not fall victim to this pandemic.

We should continue to observe the protocol associated with COVID, washing of hands, use of sanitizers, facemask and maintaining social distancing, we shouldn’t say because schools, worship centers are reopening we now revert to the previous ways we were doing things before COVID, parents should be cautious and mindful of the ways they protect their children, give the children whatever is necessary to prevent them from falling victim of the disease. On the issue of festival, it is part of the precautionary measures put in place by government, that people should suspend some of these festivals until the coast is clear, infact before the government issued that directive, I have had interactions with all traditional stakeholders and in Ilawe Ekiti which is my domain, sensitized people that in view of that, we would be having a scaled down festivities this year.

For instance the Olofin festival in Ilawe is oba’s festival -an annual festival associated with some rites that must be performed, the other aspect are the festivities, people dancing, the monarch dancing all over town, the deepest aspect of that festival is the rite.

I performed those rites quietly without attracting attention because it is mandatory, statutory, traditional and annual. If you are performing a rite and you are just about two or three there you will surely maintain social distancing, unlike in the past when crowd would be attracted and whereas this thing could be performed quietly without undue attention . government did not say they shouldn’t perform rites which they are supposed to perform ,celebration, gatherings together is what would not be encouraged.

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