Yoruba nation activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has called on traditional rulers in Yorubaland to put aside personal differences and ego and unite in the fight against insecurity in the region.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Igboho described it as “unimpressive for the prominent traditional rulers, whose stools were germane to the historical evolution of Yoruba.
Naijaonpoint reports that Igboho made the submission in reaction to the ongoing faceoff and dispute between the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, over the rotational chairmanship of the Oyo State Council of Obas.
The activist noted that the royal fathers have more important issues, such as dealing with bandits, terrorists and other criminal elements who have taken over our forests in the South West.
He called on the monarchs to continue to be agents of unity and economic growth, working together to protect their people from attacks instead of fighting over ephemeral positions.
Igboho also called for the intervention of Yoruba leaders, including the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and the Olugbon of Orile Igbon, Oba Francis Olushola Alao, to help defuse the tension surrounding the permanent chairmanship of the Oyo State Council of Obas.
According to the statement: “Why should our royal fathers dissipate energy on positions when bandits, terrorists and other criminal elements have taken over our forests in the South West, considering the recent ignoble killings of guards in Old Oyo National Park and few other parts of Oyo State?
“It is critical for traditional rulers irrespective of hierarchy to close ranks in protecting Yoruba’s territorial integrity against ravaging insecurity, foster unity and healthy developments in the collective interest of the South West.”
“Traditional rulers should continue to be agents of cohesiveness, harmony and economic growth. When your subjects, most especially farmers in rural communities, were being gruesomely murdered, it is not ideal to promote dispute over ephemeral positions.”