Against the constraints of Nigeria’s federal system, The Yoruba Leadership and Peace Initiative (TYLPI) has implored the state governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and his five counterparts in the South West to adopt the principle and ideal of the quasi-regional security outfit code-named Amotekun Corps to address the inadequacies and challenges associated with the over centralization of basic responsibilities that were better handled by the federating units by the Federal Government.
The Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural think-tank and advocacy organization, composing prominent intellectuals, scholars, technocrats and entrepreneurs, gave the charge in a congratulatory letter sent to the Chairman of the South West Governors Forum and his Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, Ogun and Lagos colleagues on the successful launch of the security outfit in response to a surge in insecurity and violent crime wave in the region last year.
A statement by Oyeyinka Fabowale, its publicity secretary, quoted the group as saying that “That singular initiative has not only helped in considerably stemming the tide of robbery, kidnapping and emerging threats of terrorism seeking to entrench their roots in Yorubaland, but has also restored hope to our despairing people that their lives, assets, ancestral space and heritage will be protected from any form of assault or danger,” TYLPI said while lauding the governors genius and tenacity in birthing the project in the letter signed by its President and General Secretary, Mr. Olusegun K. Ahmadu and Arakunrin Adefemi Adefemiwa, respectively.
TYLPI’s letter, which gave vent to the resolution of its February 28 meeting in Ibadan that reviewed the setting up of Amotekun is coming as recruitment into the Corps, whose advent has reshaped the security architecture of the region, takes off in Ondo State, this week.
The group noted that before Amotekun, the escalating violent criminal acts and security challenges ravaging the geo-political zone alongside various parts of the country including herders-farmers’ clashes, kidnapping and banditry had persisted without the police and security agencies being able to arrest the situation or bring the perpetrators to justice, due among other things due essentially to over centralization of authority in the nation’s internal security and federal policing system.
With Amotekun, however, it said, the governments and people of the South West had addressed the glaring lapses, ineffectiveness and failure of the police at meeting their expectations or having a say, despite bearing the burden of kitting and funding them.
Noting that such defect pervades various spheres of government’s duties and responsibilities and has rendered the system ineffective thereby also stalling the development of the various components of the federation, TYLPI urged the governors to build on the achievement by exploring and exploiting the Amotekun principle for potential benefits in other sectors as part of holistic strategy for advancing the socio-economic growth of Yorubaland.
The Pan-Yoruba group said it would partner with the state governments to extend the gains of the initiative, which in its innovativeness, it noted, “has once again set the Yoruba apart as pace-setter in strategic thinking and problem solving in development issues.”
TYLPI had at its February 28 meeting in Ibadan reviewed the setting up of Amotekun and commended the governors for their unity of purpose and dogged pursuit of the security project against all odds, “Your decision to sink political differences and forge a common front to hearken to the cries of the people at a time of utmost need demonstrate a rare sense of duty and responsibility that TYLPI believes should be the hallmark of leaders entrusted with the mandate to manage the affairs of the people,” the group told them.
