The Arole Oodua & Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, has assured Nigerians that the country’s traditional institution has devised a means through which the criminals among the Fulani herdsmen who are behind the menace of insecurity in Yorubaland and other parts of the country will be kicked out soon.
Ooni Ogunwusi who is the Co-chairman of the National Council of Traditional Rulers gave the assurances during the courtesy visit of the Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Muhammed Haliru Dantoro, Kitoro IV, to his Ile-Oodua Palace at Ile-Ife on Wednesday.
The African foremost traditional ruler who decried the spate of killing, kidnapping, cattle rustling and other banditry activities in the country especially in Yorubaland explained that the hoodlums were on a mission to dent the country’s good image especially as Nigerians are renowned peace lovers.
“We keep hammering on the Fulani herdsmen trying to take over everywhere, it is the bad ones that we want to kick out and enough is enough, we will kick them and do justice to the peace and peaceful coexistence in our country.
“What has been happening in Yorubaland recently is allien to us. We will work towards bringing sanity to our communities, people should not live in fear but should have that freedom to move from one point to the other the way you all have moved freely for several hours driving from New Busa today all the way to Ife.
“Nigeria is our country and we are aware of all security issues confronting us, we know how everybody is panicking, it is about time for us to separate the corn from the shaft.
“We want our country to be prosperous in peaceful coexistence, we do not want people to live in fear and that is the reason why we are trying to connect to one another as traditional rulers to find lasting solution to these of criminality.
“Some few days ago I was with the Sultan of Sokoto as the co-chairmen of the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria(NCTRN) discussing that it is important for us to stand against all the criminals that are hiding under the hospices of Fulani Herdsmen.
“Everybody is saying they are Fulani herdsmen now, kidnapping everywhere. Enough of that! We must separate the corn from the shaft putting behind the past and letting peace reign in our land and in our country and that is what we stand for.
We must join together to to end this criminality being perpetrated by enemies of Nigeria with ungodly spirit irrespective of their tribes” Ooni said.
Earlier, the Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Muhammed Haliru Dantoro, Kitoro IV, while acknowledging efforts of the Ooni Ogunwusi and other members of the country’s traditional council, he explained that traditional rulers must remain committed to the oneness of the country.
“This is a home coming for me today. I said so becauses of the agelong tie between Borgu kingdom and Ile-Ife.
“He recently got married and I have to come and visit him before its too late. We are here to felicitate with you, we wish you a happy married life. God will always uphold you for the peace and unity you are doing for this country and Africa”.
“As traditional rulers, we are for our people and we should be seen working for them to enhance their unity. All of us are children of the same African parent and the north and south of Nigeria should be seen as one. This is the only way we can collectively defeat a common enemy operating under whatever disguise”.
“This is the secret behind the relationship of our predecessors, they were building bridges across the nation and I believe we are equally on that route”.
“We should not allow anybody or group of persons to divide us with their personal interests, all we want is our country’s growth and development so that we all can be proud that we are Nigerians.
“Nigeria is one, we are supposed to preach peace in this country and I pray that there will be peace in Nigeria and Nigeria must continue to grow.
“This is what Ooni of Ife stand for and we are are fully supporting him.There should not be any difference that will bring crisis between us because we all believe in God and pray that the Almighty Allah be with us all.
“The relationship between Borgu Kingdom and Ile Ife is age long as Ile Ife used to be a very warm home to my late dad who was the immediate past Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Haliru Dantoro, Kitoro III and the immediate past Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II, and I am happy that we are both building on this good legacy.
“We will definitely work together for the betterment of our people. Borgu is a mini Nigeria because it is one of the few places in the country where you can find all tribes coexisting peacefully.
“I am overwhelmed by the cultural display and warm reception we received from the good people of Ile Ife, and it shows the leadership qualities of The Ooni.”
I want to assure you that we see you as our leader and we are ready to support you as a leader.”
The Emir said.
