The recent reports of kidnapping in the Ogbomoso area have once again sounded the alarm on the growing insecurity threatening Yorubaland.
For a people known for commerce, scholarship, and cultural pride, the encroachment of banditry, kidnapping, and the suspected infiltration of insurgent elements is an existential challenge that demands a coordinated response.
If Yorubaland is to remain a place of peace and progress, the time has come to deploy the Western Nigeria Security Network, Amotekun, to every border and entry point and forests across Yoruba land. Selective deployment is no longer enough when the threat is mobile, adaptive, and borderless.
Amotekun was created to fill the gap between local communities and overstretched federal security forces. Its strength lies in local knowledge, rapid response, and community trust. Alejo ko sha ye ko omo ju onile lo…. (a stranger should not be more conversant with the environment than the residents).
Deploying Amotekun to all Yoruba borders—Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, and Kwara fringes—means: Interdicting kidnappers and bandits before they penetrate towns and villages; Securing forests and highways that have become hideouts for criminal gangs;Providing intelligence from indigenes who understand the terrain better than any outsider.
Without this full deployment, Yorubaland remains exposed to hit-and-run attacks that destabilize rural economies and displace farming communities.
The Role of the Aare Ona Kakanfo
The title of Aare Ona Kakanfo is not ceremonial. Historically, the Aare Ona Kakanfo, Gani Adams was the Field Marshal of the Oyo Empire, tasked with leading military campaigns and defending Yoruba territory from external aggression. The oath of office demands that the holder must not retreat in the face of war. A sa le fiyin he oye awode, ke tun maa sa fun omo adiye…
In the current context, the role of the Are Ona Kakanfo must extend beyond symbolism to: Mobilising traditional warriors, hunters, and local vigilance groups into a unified defense structure even the OPC and Agbekoya; Advising Yoruba kings and governors on military strategy and intelligence gathering; Serving as a rallying point for Yoruba people to resist invasion and preserve territorial integrity.
Silence or inaction from the office of the Are Ona Kakanfo in times like this weakens the cultural and psychological defense of the people because akuku joye san ju enu mi Ka’lu lo…
The Danger of Delayed Action
If kidnapping, banditry, and insurgent infiltration are not handled decisively, the consequences will be severe:
Economic collapse: Farmers abandon land, markets shrink, and food prices rise due to insecurity on rural routes.
Mass displacement: Communities in Ogbomoso, Ibarapa, and northern Oyo already face the risk of becoming ghost towns.
Erosion of cultural identity: When people flee their ancestral land, the language, festivals, and institutions tied to that land weaken.
Loss of confidence: Citizens lose faith in both traditional and state institutions, creating a vacuum that criminals exploit. History shows that once banditry gains a foothold, it spreads rapidly if not cut off at the borders.
The Responsibilities of Yoruba Kings
Yoruba Obas are more than custodians of culture—they are the political and spiritual heads of their people. In the face of bandit and suspected Boko Haram infiltration, their role must include:
Leadership and coordination: Convening emergency security meetings with local chiefs, Amotekun commanders, and community leaders.
Intelligence and advocacy: Using their networks to relay credible intelligence to state and federal authorities, and speaking publicly to demand action.
Mobilising community defense: Encouraging the revival and legal regulation of local hunting and vigilance groups under traditional oversight.
Preserving unity: Resisting division along political or religious lines that weaken collective response. A king who fails to act when his people are under threat risks losing both legitimacy and land.
Conclusion
Yorubaland stands at a crossroads. The incidents in Ogbomoso are not isolated; they are part of a pattern that has affected other parts of Nigeria where delay cost lives and territory.
The solution requires three things working together: a fully deployed and funded Amotekun at every border, an active Are Ona Kakanfo fulfilling his historic mandate, and Yoruba kings rising to lead and protect their people.
Anything less is an invitation for greater danger. The time to act is now—before the borders we ignore become the battlefields we cannot control.
Iku to n pa ojugba eni, owe nla loun n pa fun ni ooo…