Ooni of Ife
By Our Reporter
Few minutes after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari behind closed doors at the Aso Rock Villa on Tuesday, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has warned Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo, otherwise known as Sunday Igboho, over his role in chasing the Seriki of Fulani out of Ibarapa, Oyo State.
The first class monarch advised Sunday Igboho not to take laws into his hands but allow constituted authorities to handle the herdsmen menace.
Ooni also warned Yoruba activist to watch out for politicians seeking to hijack his agitations against killer herdsmen in the region.
The monarch spoke with newsmen after the meeting with the president, he said he met the president to discuss issues bordering on the simmering ethnic tension in some parts of the South West region.
He said it’s part of the duties of traditional rulers that everything is right, all and sundry of the country are in good shape.
“The take-home here is that Mr. President has assured it’s not going to be a political thing. We all know the problem all over the country because we have a lot of bad eggs that have mixed across the entire country, and we are having that situation again in the South West.
“So I am here as the co-chairman of the national council of traditional rulers to get the assurance of Mr. President that either of the party won’t turn to a political party fun fair in order not to risk the lives of our people, not only in the south-west but the entire country.
“I am happy he has told me that I should assure other traditional rulers to work with them now so that we can separate the good, the bad, and the ugly,” he added.
In a related development, the Ooni praised Igboho for taking on the campaign against herdsmen but advised him to allow constituted authorities to handle the menace.
The traditional ruler poured encomium on Igboho during an interview with Arise TV.
He added that Igboho should back down so that government can take over the battles to avoid politicians hijacking the movement.
The monarch said: “Let us be very objective. He (Igboho) is being a mouthpiece for the downtrodden. He came up and everybody is listening now but my advice to him as a traditional ruler is that he needs to be very careful so that the politicians won’t hijack the whole motive from him.
“He has done well and we’ve already praised him but he shouldn’t take laws into his hands. We have the governor there, he is the chief security officer of the state and Mr President has invited him (Makinde). Let the right people that are being authorised to do what is right do it.
“He (Igboho) has done well and the world has heard him but everything should be done in moderation.”
He added: “We know that the bandits are everywhere. He shouldn’t take laws into his hands. We have laws in this country, and we should follow it. Let the right people chosen either our leader, let them follow what they are supposed to do.
The monarch said ‘He has done well, and we should leave it like that,”
