I am highly enticed to the security arrangement codenamed Amotekun being put in place by our Southwest Governors. This is so, because I’m a Yoruba man and more importantly, I hail from Oke Ogun axis of Oyo state. The zone that stands to benefit more from Amotekun security enterprise in Oyo state. For some years now, Oke Ogun is bedeviled with insecurity, accentuated by lack of socio-economic infrastructure such as good road network, portable water supply, security and industrial development. For instance, about two years ago, the zone witnessed unprecedented complete break down of security which led to members of NURTW mounting roadblocks on the major roads within the zone due to insecurity. Around this period, traveling on our roads was nightmarish and hellish. Marauders, kidnappers, bandits took advantage of vast forest reserves in the zone to seize commuters on the highway, drag them into the bush, molest them and thereafter demand ransom. Anyone from Oke Ogun will attest to this fact. Although the situation of insecurity has decreased now, nevertheless, we still have pockets of kidnapping, robbery and other heinous crimes on the roads. It’s in this light, that all lovers of peace, security and legitimate movements from one place to the other must embrace Amotekun in the Southwest Nigeria.
For it’s practically impossible to provide official policing to cover the many long stretches of road network in Western region and particularly in Oke Ogun where you could travel 100 kilometers without coming across police checkpoint except intermittent security arrangement put in place by the locals through vigilante in the thick reserve forest dotted in the zone.
Providentialy, of the six Western State Governors, only Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state is of People’s Democratic Party, PDP. The rest are All Progressives Congress, APC, Governors. It is also interesting that our Southwest Governors put partisan politics behind and project for us security architecture that will cover the entire Southwest irrespective of political parties. To that extent, the launch of Amotekun itself was done in Ibadan, Oyo state capital which is a PDP state. Kudos to our Southwest Governors for this political sagacity.
If not that Seyi Makinde is of PDP, Amotekun would not have succeeded. It is to be noted that Makinde of PDP is strongly visible in this Amotekun security project, which makes it more acceptable to the vast majority of non-APC members. Otherwise, political innuendos would easily have been read into the project. So, Seyi Makinde is a very strong fulcrum and hub around which Amotekun revolves. He provides political stability for the enterprise.
My opinion expressed above is reinforced by the remarks of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the Governor of Ondo state (A Yoruba man of honour, integrity who declared that he will not mind if Amotekun would cost him his second term in office) who, rising from a meeting of Southwest Governors with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo remarked “The Deputy Governor of Oyo state is here. He’s of PDP”. That tells of the pivotal roles being played by Governor Seyi Makinde in defending our Southwest region.
The deafening silence of our politicians in this regard is simple because of perfect mix provided by Governor Seyi Makinde in the Southwest region which enables the seamless takeoff of Amotekun. For this reason alone, all Yoruba not only of Oyo state but wherever, should support and continue to encourage Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration which is providing stability, focus, and good governance not only for Oyo state but in the Southwestern states of Nigeria.
Barrister Bayo Lawal is the Aare Bamofin of Kisi land in Irepo Local Government Area of Oyo state. He’s a former Attorney General of Oyo state.
He writes from Ibadan, the Oyo state capital. He can be reached via bayolawal705@gmail.com
