When bandits no longer fear government then there is trouble —Alaafin

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, in this interview with SATURDAY TRIBUNE, speaks on the security situation in the country and his relationship with the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, who marked his 8th birthday recently.

 

Insurgency in the Northern part of the country seems to be getting out of hand, going by reports indicating the spread beyond Borno and Yobe states to the North-central zone. What does this trend portend?

Getting out of hand sounds too mild, as far as the truth is concerned, it is already carving a territory on its own within Nigeria. Shouldn’t everybody be worried now? For the Niger State Governor to have publicly alerted the federal government of the presence of Boko Haram in nine local government councils in his state, means the crisis is real, coupled with kidnappings and banditries which are spreading to other parts of the country. Criminals now share use of force, which only states enjoy, with government. Then somebody would rise and say ‘we have defeated Boko Haram technically.’ Doesn’t that sound odd to you? What is technical defeat when the thing is gaining more coverage? And, I saw it long before now. In 1994, I said it and made myself clear on but nothing is done till it is alarmingly unfolding and becoming a virus eating the existence of this country. Go and read my past write-ups and see where I recommended restructuring as the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who said it repeatedly that we should return to true federalism wherein the federating units would determine their growth and development as we had in the First Republic before General Aguiyi Ironsi Decree 34 promulgated unitary system in 1966.

 

Can you now say that the celebrated Southern governors Asaba Declaration is a step towards the much talked about restructuring?

As my position requires and most importantly given that whatever I say, either in newspapers or radio, is seen at the corridor of power beyond what you see as a reporter, I won’t want to go into details, regarding that declaration. My answer to your question still remains what I have said as far back as 1994 on power structure in the country. Devolution of power, as we had it before and during the First Republic, is solution to this recurrent problem we face in the country. The central government is too powerful based on items on its exclusive and concurrent lists which tend to suffocate the states. It is too bad having states surviving at the mercy of the federal government, after all America, whose constitutional model we copy, is operating a fiscal federalism whereby each state enjoys autonomous power to determine its affairs. Then why can’t we do what we should do once and for all and move the nation forward? Western Region became self-independent in 1957, three years before Nigeria independence in 1960. That is the true federalism we are talking about. Western Region has Western House in London among other tangible marks of its self-determination. We were self-reliant and ahead of other regions in infrastructural development as well as intellectual growth. Leaders of other regions saw those developments and got inspired and did same for their regions too. That brought a healthy rivalry, which provided for the three regions to develop at their respective paces. But a situation where a section of the country would retard development of federating sections, agitations, as we have now, is what we will be witnessing.

 

You have not spoken on Sunday Igboho, who is emerging as a Yoruba activist, though linked with making some extreme comments. Is Igboho in order in his campaign for a Yoruba nation?

I have just told you why I must not see it all and say it all. As far as this country is concerned, I can say it anywhere and before any audience that I have seen lots of things including what you may call classified information, exclusive for official use only. But we need to first interrogate the circumstance which produced the young ones like Igboho to wake up one day and say ‘enough is enough’. I don’t want you to be restrictive and limit your focus on Yoruba alone; there are other Igbohos among other ethnic groups, facing the same circumstance which brought up Igboho. To my understanding, which nobody should claim ignorance of, Igboho is the product of the insecurity which has now taken over the country. Do you know the number of Yewa communities in Ogun State, now taking refuge in Benin Republic?

 

Can you shed more light on this dislocation?

Isn’t it in the news? There is nothing hidden about it; it is on the social media already the condition which those people are in Benin Republic. I am personally involved in this security matter, and I know what I have committed into ensuring safety of our people in places beyond Oyo State. I have documents for everything I have done in guarding those places. The situation is bad and too worrisome. When marauders, bandits and kidnappers are not fearing or showing respect to government which is statutorily empowered to enjoy monopoly of use of force, then there is a big trouble. Then nobody is safe. I have spoken on this even to this administration but nothing is done towards addressing those points which I highlighted in my letter. But despite that, the Alaafin is a big and imperishable institution which must continuously play his sacred role as the voice of the Yorubas at home and elsewhere. And no father will fold his arm while his house is under fire. That is the reason for my occasional intervention to draw government attention to what the masses are passing through.

 

The Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona marked his 87 years recently, what is your take on his new year?

My take is to extend my warmest greetings to him on his yet another special occasion of his birth. I am wishing him many happy returns of the day in sound heath, which is most important now at the advanced age we are climbing now gradually. Anyone who is in our age bracket, all he needs to pray for is a sound health to live the rest of his life. We even have a cause to thank God for how far He has taken us in this life journey. Combining traditional stool with old age is a grace of God. So, the Awujale is enjoying that grace from 1960 when he ascended to the throne. I am honestly commending him for the profound knowledge and deep understanding with which he has been on that exalted seat of his forebear. Being a traditional ruler over the Ijebus means a lot of things because we are talking of people who are very civilized and business-like. Do you think such a people would tolerate a weakling, who is bereft of a required character, on the throne?

 

I understand that more than any other Yoruba traditional ruler, you have a working synergy with the Awujale. What is the secret behind this? In other words, can you share that special attribute you find in him to be so respected?

There is no secret behind our relationship other than having built faith in each other. When you talk of faith, you talk of belief in another person and what that person stands for. Even in the absence of that person, you know what he can say or do on certain issue or situation. For instance, if you go to him now and ask him on what my position will be on a particular issue, you will be surprised what the Awujale will tell you. When you return to me and ask me same question about him, you will meet more shocker in what I will tell you about him. We hardly contradict each other. What do you call that? It is understanding of each other’s mindset on issues. And that understanding is built on sincerity and consistency.

 

Can I relate that to the incident which occurred during General Babangida regime just after the June 12 elections were annulled in 1993?

Let us not digress into that history now. We are still in celebration mood of his birthday. I am only telling you, as you have requested, what you called secret behind our bond. On Nigerian government policies, we have come a long way, and we thank God that those administrations, past and present, know where we belonged at every point in time. We both believe in posterity and what happens after we might have gone. This has always been our guiding principle on our reactions to government policies. We believe that it is better one speak true to power and damn the consequence. For instance, our closeness to any administration does not and will not stop us from pointing out areas of deficiency to the government. God has blessed us to be self-sufficient to say the truth all the time, regardless of government or individual involved. I can say this simple principle is the basis of our synergy, which you said is working. Let me add to it that the synergy is working well.

 

Can we then say you are involved in politics as traditional rulers?

What else is traditional institution, if not politics? Why is Oyo what it is to Yorubaland, if not politics? Can Oyo expansionist policy spread up to Kumasi in Ghana without politics? Before the advent of the colonial administration, Oyo was the supreme political headquarters of Yorubaland. The history is clear on what I am talking about. It is incontrovertible. I just asked you to go and do your finding on our roles in history to understand what I am saying. So, politics is part of our job. If we didn’t make intervention at the right time and when it is necessary, do you think we would still be here today?

 

I don’t get your last line, can you expatiate with this and be specific on what you mean for clarity?

I will answer you with a specific example. It was the Awujale who came to Ibadan and held my hand after a meeting and told me to go all out and do whatever I can to ensure a governor did not return to office after I had disagreed with him and followed it up. He told me that the governor was embittered and would return to power with vengeance mission. Then, I went all out to ensure what he predicted did not happen, and God gave us the day; the candidate I supported won the election. Another instance was when the same candidate, whom I supported against his successor, also planned some manipulation to achieve a dishonest end but the gimmick leaked out, it was the same Awujale who came down to meet the late Arisekola Alao in Ibadan and held a serious talk with him. They later held meeting in the house of the late Chief Bode Akindele where it was said that the traditional institution must be protected from being rubbished. What did the late Ajimobi did before he became the governor in 2011? I was the one who took up the challenge and campaigned for him vigorously and ensured he won the elections and second term. By the virtue of our proximity to our people at ward level, traditional rulers wield much influence in what should be called political mobilization. So, if you say a traditional ruler participate in politics, I will tell you that he is in order because he is very important in the political process.

 

I learnt the Awujale is a tough king. How true or otherwise is this claim?

Is he tough? What do you call me? Am I tough? I want you to get it clear. There is difference between being tough and living strictly on principle. Unfortunately, people tend to mix the two up and use them interchangeably. Well, let us agree that a tough person is one who is uncompromising on his principle; he is not easily fooled and manipulated by those who are out to fool and manipulate him. If a person is firm and stubbornly firm, he is tough. I want to see that word ‘tough’ as a compliment rather than in the negative. The Awujale is a principle traditional ruler who will arrive your function ahead of time and leave when you are not sticking to the scheduled time. This reminds me of a military governor who was scheduled to visit him. The Awujale had invited other traditional rulers to his palace to host the governor; he had made preparation, prepared food and drinks. Do you know what happened? The governor did not keep to time. Good! The Awujale entertained the traditional rulers in attendance and locked up the entrance to his palace. The governor arrived at one o clock but the gate remained locked. The Awujale refused to open the gate for him, despite his status. That is the kind of personality he has always been right from onset. He would not tolerate what you call African time. You can see where the synergy between us is. I don’t tolerate African time too. If you invite him for an occasion but your programme is not ready, what am I waiting for after I have honoured you? I have to leave to go and use my time for more productive things in the palace where I have a lot of works to do. Did you know that the governor who plotted evil against the Awujale used to go to him in Awujale Court long before he became the governor? We know ourselves; we used to meet there. He enjoyed kind heart of Awujale before he turned round against him. God is in support of a principled man. Didn’t God support him against the governor who had perfected his act to spit at the tradition in the end?

 

Do you observe your story is hot cake on social media?

In fact, that is my fear for the future of journalism now. I am really scared of what happens to that noble profession which has produced brilliant practitioners whose pens are truly mightier than sword. Instead of the youths to use the technology to benefit themselves and the society, they are abusing it. The so-called bloggers are doing damage to journalist. And they are faceless, difficult to trace. Imagine somebody writing lie as if he or she was sitting beside me in the palace. But as the Awujale had long advised me that I should ignore media attacks from wherever they come. I can only advise the public to be wary of those people; they are destroyers rather than builders of society.

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