…Says Yawota, Esinele Fall Under Onikoyi, Not Soun Ogbomoso
A diaspora group, Ikoyi Land Diaspora, has appealed to Governor Seyi Makinde to urgently intervene in the installation of a new Onikoyi of Ikoyi-Ile, in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, saying the move is critical to strengthening security in the area.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its chairman, Alabi Adeola, the group urged the governor to prevail on warring parties to expedite the selection process for a new traditional ruler.
Adeola said the vacant stool has created a leadership vacuum that is fueling insecurity, particularly in Yawota and Esiele, communities under Ikoyi-Ile that were recently attacked by bandits.
He noted that several children and teachers were abducted there last Friday.
According to the statement: “The installation of a new Onikoyi has become imperative to address the security concerns in Yawota and Esiele. With an Onikoyi in place, the monarch can convene security meetings, engage local hunters, and prioritize the safety of communities under his domain.”
The chairman noted that the absence of a traditional head has left the communities without coordination on security matters.
The Onikoyi, he said, should serve as the arrowhead of local security architecture and as a liaison between the government and the communities.
“Yawota and Esiele, which came under attack last Friday, are under Ikoyi-Ile, not Ogbomoso. An Onikoyi would understand the terrain and nuances of each community far better than anyone from Ogbomoso. He would take the security of Ikoyi-Ile more seriously. He is the one that coordinate the activities of all Baales’, and always prevail over security concerns, Adeola stated.
The group however stressed that security is local, and traditional rulers play a vital role in intelligence gathering, threat identification, and community mobilization. “No amount of security deployment will stop these bandits without the active involvement of our Obas and community heads,” Adeola added.
He recalled that Ikoyi-Ile is an ancient land of warriors whose people dispersed across the globe following wars and internal political crises in the late 18th century.
While commending Governor Makinde for his prompt response to the recent abductions and for collaborating with security agencies to ensure the safe return of victims, the group insisted that filling the Onikoyi stool should be part of broader measures to address insecurity.
MOUTHPIECE NGR recalls that the stool of the Onikoyi of Ikoyi-Ile became vacant after the death of Oba Abdul-Yekeen Ayinla Oladipupo IV in April 2022. A new Onikoyi yet to be selected.
