The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, has enjoined the Federal Government to ensure that reports of Commissions of Enquiry into civil disturbances and violent conflicts are sincerely implemented with a view to bringing the perpetrators and their supporters to justice and to serve as a credible deterrence.
He also called on Nigerians to get up, put our acts together and take our destiny in our hands, adding that while the ship of the country may be battered severally on the high seas, with discipline, hard work, selflessness, patriotism, dedication and unalloyed support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, the ship will safely anchor and be renewed to the surprise of everyone in the world.
Oba Adeyemi gave the admonitions in Lagos at an award ceremony organized by World Peace and Diplomacy Organisation in collaboration
with KEISIE International University, South-Korea.
According to the Alaafin, ‘’there can be no national development without relative peace and stability. Since May 1999, there have been
greater challenges of security than at any point in time in our
history, thus rendering our political stability fragile, democratic
institutions and processes fluid, and our economy debilitated.
Government, political leaders and followers, and all of us, must have
the courage and honesty to get to the root causes of our current state
of insecurity, underpinned by criminality, and insurgency/terrorism;
Our leaders and followers have taken the issues of security for
granted; yet urgent and immediate steps (short and long–term) must be
taken to consciously respond to current threats by architectonically
designing and building a security system which would create a stable
and relatively peaceful environment, conducive for national
development’’.
He continued, ‘’we must accept the reality that while it is necessary
to create “unity in diversity”, we must identify and respect our
differences – “diversity in unity”, as well as improve the economy and
manage unemployment candidly. Unless those in government are in a
country different from ours, they should realize that conditions of
life are currently very hard for the average Nigerian. Having one, let
alone three square meals daily poses a real problem, not to talk of
affording costs of medicals for members of families’’.
Many families, the paramount ruler noted, can no longer pay their
children’s school fees. There are no jobs for those who have graduated
from Polytechnics and Universities. There is a large army of the
unemployed, ready to be used for odious jobs which bring in some
income. Armed robbery, political thuggery, banditry and other forms of
crimes have virtually been “legitimized” by the logic of the
imperatives of survival. All these left undone by previous
administrations, must be holistically address if we are to effectively
manage conflicts’’.
Many of the conflicts, said he, ‘’ have witnessed emerged from the
lack of mutual respect for one another. We cannot all be the same. We
must realize that even within a single religious and ethnic group,
there are differences in perspectives and opinions. Disdain and
arrogance (bankrupt of content) are often marks of inferiority
complex. We must be able to dialogue with one another, no matter how
difficult. We should respect and recognize the claims of others in a
competitive context even if we disagree with the nature of such
claims. Non-recognition of claims generates major conflicts which
often mobilizes ethnic and religious loyalties. Recognition of claims,
while disputing the nature of claims, creates a basis for discussion.
Here the quarrel is over shares, how much? and not the illegitimacy of
claims. Governments can play helpful roles in mediating in some of
these conflicting claims. It should not wait until the competitive
process turns into violent interactions among claimants. So also can
civil societies, NGOs and even the private sector contribute to the
prevention of conflicts’’.
Alaafin called for the development of a national security strategy
that is aligned with anti-corruption and national development
priorities, Undertake transformation of the security sector, Establish
effective mechanisms of external and internal accountability within
the defence and security forces, Inculcate firm discipline among
troops serving special operations, as well as establish a transparent
process over the stockpiling and management of weapons collected from
disarmed combatants.
‘’The present administration must be eulogized for investing massively
in infrastructure, education, health, job creation and youth
programmes. There is also need to bolster the capacity and
professional autonomy of anti-corruption institutions, identify
institutional entry points in governance systems, such as access to
information and social accountability and transparency, adopt an
institution building approach to governance, and bolster the capacity
of public institutions for effective service delivery’’.
Corruption, Alaafin asserted is multi-dimensional, as it does not
only involve money, but also involves the abuse of trust, processes
and institutions.
‘’It is my conviction that we should concentrate on the prevention of
corruption by establishing appropriate mechanisms for checking it.
This will reduce the number and cost of cases prosecuted. If we must
rebrand Nigeria, Nigerians must shun primordial sentiments, but give
total support to the present administration, as its determination
to be exemplary should not be in doubt.’’
Earlier in his address, President of the KEISIE International
University, South-Korea, Professor G.O, Singh, described the Alaafin
of Oyo as ‘’a colossus and foremost versatile paramount ruler whose
sense of commitment and visionary leadership styles towards human
advancement and peace within and outside Nigeria is second to none’’.
Oba Adeyemi was later conferred with two awards.
One was Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice and Legal System
[Forensic Science].it was conferred by World Peace and Diplomacy
Organisation.
The other was Doctor of Excellence [Honoris Causa] conferred by the
President of KESIE International University, South-Korea, in
collaboration with Confederation of International Healthcare Foundation.
It was in recognition of Oba Adeyemi’s excellence and leadership styles in varying fields.
