The Agbekoya Society of Nigeria, a Yoruba farmers and hunters association, has urged the Federal Government to make provisions for arms and technologies for its members.
It also urged the Federal Government to extend the gesture to the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) to help tackle security challenges in the Southwest.
The Secretary General of Agbekoya worldwide, Dr Adegbenro Ogunlana, made this known in a statement in Lagos on Sunday.
Ogunlana called for transparency in the installation of Obas and Baales in the Southwest.
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He said that this would help curb security challenges in the Southwest and the country.
Ogunlana said this would also enable members of both groups to be ready to curtail the activities of kidnappers and stem the recent killing of traditional rulers and citizens.
The general secretary, however, cautioned king-makers to stop cutting corners in the installation of traditional rulers.
Ogunlana said that Yoruba Obas were getting too many, saying having a paramount ruler with a lot of Baales would be a better arrangement.
He said: “That was how Yorubaland was founded. There will be a paramount ruler with many Baales. That’s why we have a saying, “Baale Oko Ilu (The Chief is the head of the community).
“So, if you cut corners during the coronation and installation, the Oba will not have special powers.
“The Oba will just be like an ordinary person but when you meet an Oba suddenly, one must be afraid.
“This is because of the traditional charms influence on him, which makes it difficult to look at them but nowadays, all important initiations will be skipped.”
Ogunlana recalled that during the Agbekoya’s 85th founder’s anniversary on Nov.10, 2023, the President of Agbekoya, Mr Kamorudeen Okikiola, promised to provide 2,500 warriors as forest guards all over Yorubaland.
He, however, said that no one was available to fund the initiative, not even the Southwest state governments.
He added that the government policy also affected the take-off of the Agbekoya forest guards.
The general secretary added that kidnapping and other criminalities cannot be tackled by police and other security agencies alone. (NAN)
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