S/West: You have done your best, let constituted authorities take over the matter, Ooni tells Igboho

OONI of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has advised popular ‘Yoruba’ freedom fighter, Sunday Adeyemo better known as Sunday Igboho, against taking laws into his own hands

The monarch said this hours after meeting with President Buhari at the Aso Villa on Wednesday.

Though what was discussed at the villa was not disclosed to journalists after the meeting, the monarch’s aide said the discussion was not unconnected with the insecurity rocking the Southwest particularly the agitation against presence of Fulani herdsmen in some communities in the region.

Oba Ogunwusi, who admitted that Igboho spoke for the downtrodden, advised the activist to sheathe his sword and let the constituted authorities including the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to take charge and handle the security challenges in the state.

The monarch said this on Arise TV’s programme last night.

He said, “Let us be very objective. He (Igboho) is being a mouthpiece for the downtrodden. He came up and everybody is listening now but my advice to him as a traditional ruler is that he needs to be very careful so that the politicians won’t hijack the whole motive from him.

“He has done well and we’ve already praised him but he shouldn’t take laws into his hands. We have the governor there, he is the chief security officer of the state and Mr President has invited him (Makinde). Let the right people that are being riticize to do what is right do it.

“He (Igboho) has done well and the world has heard him but everything should be done in moderation.”

Igboho an intrepid fighter baked in the furnace of the Ife/ Modakeke internecine war became subject of national discussion after asking herdsmen accused of perpetrating crimes ranging from kidnappings, killings, rape to invasion of farmlands with their cattle to leave the Ibarapa Local Government Area of Oyo State within seven days.

At the expiration of the ultimatum last week, he and his lieutenants went back to Igangan to redeem its pledge by ejecting  Seriki Fulani, Salihu Abdukadir, and the herders.

But the first-class Yoruba monarch advised the activist to allow the constitutionally empowered authorities take over the fight against banditry.

“We know that the bandits are everywhere. He shouldn’t take laws into his hands. We have laws in this country and we should follow it. Let the right people chosen do and follow what they are supposed to do,” he said.

“Traditional rulers have a role to play. We should be very neutral and so far so good, we have been trying to be neutral. Whatever this government is doing, we always stand up to try and see how to support them. It is not as if we will now go out to riticize them. We are not politicians, we are traditional rulers; we should be respected, we should be neutral and we should accommodate all and sundry,” the monarch added.