Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo State, has been advised to engage traditional rulers and other community leaders in the effort to restore peace and trust among the people of the state.
Adeolu Akande, chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, in a statement released in Ibadan, said the fragile peace in the state requires the involvement of Obas, chiefs, religious leaders and other critical stakeholders in restoring lasting peace in the state.
Akande, a professor and director at the Centre for Presidential Studies, Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, counseled that recent developments in many parts of the state have fracrured the cordial relationship between ethnic nationalities resident in the state and there is an urgent need for confidence-building to restore mutual trust among the people.
“It is high time Governor Makinde called on the wisdom of our Obas and chiefs to help address the security challneges in the state. As a homeboy, I do know that hundreds, if not thousands, of conflict between members of different ethnic nationalities resident in Oyo State are resolved amicably daily in the palaces of our traditional rulers and chiefs.
“Governor Makinde should immediately employ this mechnism that has worked for hundreds of years to restore peace and tranquility in the state.
“He should also secure the support and engagement of our religious leaders to build confidence among the people. The disagreements that led to the conflagration in Sasa last week was a daily experience in many communities in Oyo State that traditional, community and religious leaders amicably resolve everyday
“The spate of kidnappings and other criminal activities by few undesirable members have heightened tension and created fear among our people. It is in contexts like this that routine individual disagreements can take ethnic colouration and result in inter-ethnic violence.
“It is therefore imperative for the Oyo State government to immediately embark on confidence-building meaures to mutual trust among the people.
“Our Obas have always worked with successive governments at a time like this to restore mutual trust in their respective communities. Governor Makinde should respectfully engage our Obas at a time like this,” he explained.
Akande also reiterated his earlier call on the people of the state to join hands with Makinde for the state to get over these trying times.
“We are in difficult times and there is no gainsaying that the governor alone cannot see us through the challenges of the day. Every indigene and resident and friends of the state should deploy their God-given talents and attributes to help the state survive the times. The challenges have gone past the use of security agents only to restore peace. It requires the involvement of all men of goodwill. I implore all leaders and indigenes of the state to do whatever they can to restore confidence among the people of the state,” he added.
