By Chris Onuoha

Oba Michael Odunayo Ajayi, the Elerinmo of Erinmo-Ijesha, has thrown his weight behind community policing in the country, emphasizing the urgent need to fortify the security arrangement with local vigilantes. The monarch, who is marking his 5th coronation anniversary, August 10, spoke to Sunday Vanguard against the backdrop of the visit by some South-West monarchs to President Muhammadu Buhari last week.

•Oba Michael Odunayo Ajayi

“Recently, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, who is the Co-chairman of the National Council of Traditional Rulers, was in Abuja to see the President on security issues. After that visit, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo came around to some states in the South-West, including Osun, to talk to traditional rulers on the matter. His Imperial Majesty, alongside other monarchs, went back to the President on the same issue, essentially because the western part of the country is more or less under siege and there’s need for all traditional rulers to be in the forefront of finding solution to insecurity: Killings, kidnapping and robbery, that has become commonplace in some of our communities”, Ajayi said.

“From that discussion with the President, it was agreed, among other things, to localise policing, either state police or community police as you may choose to call it.

“Recall that this was practicable in the olden days. Security arrangement then was localised and it differed from one place to another. Obviously, what is happening now has lent credence to the fact that there is a need for government to actively push for the introduction of local police.

“For instance, on the issue of Boko Haram, before the government introduced the civilian Joint Task Force (JTF), a lot was not been achieved but with the JTF on ground, they were able to go deeper into the bush and helped the military with intelligence, and that made it easier for the military to tackle Boko Haram.

READ ALSO: FG to deploy CCTV, drones for security in S’West – Ooni of Ife

“This is the same issue we may have here in the South. While it may look very convenient to say police can manage the situation, it is not possible for us to manage the security issue without micromanaging it at the local level.

“If you look at a country like America, I don’t think they have an Inspector General of Police. What they have is Police Department in every state, because the kind of crime that happens in each state differs.

“I believe that with community policing, it will be like equipping and supporting the existing police so that they will be able to perform better.

“Also, it is noteworthy that our people have been pushing and asking, ‘are we going to sit down and watch our people being killed, kidnapped and robbed without doing anything?’ And because we are in a democratic setting, we can’t take the law into our own hands. So we quickly approached government as traditional rulers to proffer solution to our problems here.

“Of course, you know there are problems of kidnapping and banditry in other states, but we have to focus on our own states and find solution quickly”.

Meanwhile, the Elerinmo, stated that the security challenge in the country is among the issues to be discussed during his coronation annivesary to be graced by prominent Yoruba monarchs including the Ooni of Ife and Alaafin of Oyo.

He listed projects to be unveiled during the weeklong programme of events to include the empowerment initiative for over 100 women by the Arowotawaya Foundation, scholarship grants to indigent students and donation of books to the library of St. Peters Primary School, Erinmo.

Ajayi further stated that since his five years on the throne, he has  executed electricity projects in some rural communities, donated a generator to Erinmo Central Mosque, invited a foreign medical team to the community, sunk boreholes, built a house to support farmers with grading and storage of cocoa produce, renovated basic infrastructures in the community and many others.

He also stated that the anniversary is programmed to honour his late father, Asiwaju of Erinmo Kingdom, Chief (Dr) Joseph Olubowale Ajayi, for his contributions to Erinmo through initiatives in the areas of education and healthcare.

Arowotawaya II, popularly known by his people as ‘Ilufemiloba’, is a social critic, author and businessman who has served in various cadre in the business community both at home and abroad including establishing Ghana/Nigeria Chamber of Commerce before retiring to mount the throne of his forefathers.

VANGUARD