- Ekiti to host first world traditional festival
Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
Traditionalists in the South-west region have supported the position canvassed by the Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu, that the country security challenges can only be solved through community-based state police.
Addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti yesterday, the Obarisa Agbaye of Ijo Olorisa Parapo ati Asa Adulawo Organisation, Oba Jamiu Adewale Eletu, blamed the festering insecurity situation in the South-west region on internal collusion.
Eletu, who is the Alawoyaya of Awoyaya, Ibeju Lekki in Lagos, alleged that some indigenes were conniving with the marauding herdsmen to perpetrate kidnappings and killings, in a bid to make money, saying that that is the reason the security challenges were difficult to curtail.
According to him, “Kidnapping is a serious issue. It is necessary for Yoruba people to beware, else what we don’t want will happen to us. Those blaming the Fulani herdsmen should also try and look inwards. No one can come from Kano or Jos and just master our terrain. There are fifth columnists among us. Some farms are being used as hideouts while the owners are collecting commissions from these criminals.
“Our people too are at fault. How can you see strange faces in your areas and you can’t report it to the monarch or the police, and you are still blaming the government for insecurity?
“Also, how do you get a tight security or want the police to be effective when you bring someone from Kano to be heading Ekiti State Police Command? It is certain that there would be compromise. Let there be a federal and state police, but the state police must be community-based.”
The monarch said all traditional and religious organisations are ready to help the government to fight insecurity, “because you can’t fight the battle alone with guns.”
As part of ways to promote tradition and culture, he said the global traditional body will in 2020 hold the first ‘Igba Irunmole festival’ in the state to promote culture and boost the economy.
Eletu also debunked the insinuation that his members were aiding criminals like armed robbers, kidnappers and cybercriminals locally called Yahoo boys.
He said the role of Oba Olorisa is purely spiritual and to promote culture, assuring those interested that those roles would not be done to undermine the traditional stools.
He said: “The loss of our core values is instrumental to our global social, political and economic predicaments. This is also making the world a more dangerous place for human habitation.
“In line with our fundamental role in the promotion of the tradition, beliefs and culture of the Oduduwa descendants all over the world, our organisation would be celebrating the first world Igba-Irunmole festival in Ekiti State soon.
“The festival is meant to celebrate the 201 gods that are recognised in the Yoruba mythology and further reawaken our consciousness as well as strengthen our spirituality towards our continued survival as humans.
“The choice of Ekiti State for the maiden edition of the festival is as a result of the cultural significance of the state and the spiritual presence of substantial number of notable Yoruba deities such as Ogun, Osanyin, Esu, Ifa, Osun, Obalufon and so on in the state.
“The rich natural heritage and culture-tourism for which Ekiti State is known for also makes the state an appropriate location for such festival. Over 5,000 global adherents of the Yoruba traditional religion as well as curious tourists will visit the state.”
