By Adeniyi Adedoyin
The Olu Of Orile-Ilawo in Abeokuta, Oba (Prof.) Alexander Olusegun McGregor, has described traditional rulers, as critical stakeholders in fighting insecurity in the country
He therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider involving the traditional rulers, in his efforts at creating the state police towards overcoming the challenges of insecurity in Nigeria.
Oba McGregor, who made the call, while speaking with newsmen after
the 7.5km health walk, put together as part of activities to mark his second coronation anniversary, stated that crime prevention in any community, cannot be effectively achieved without liaison with traditional institutions which formed that basis for the grassroot governance.
The monarch said, "It is very critical that the federal government considers the impact of the traditional institutions because if you look at the most developed countries of the world, they have state police. Like we have the Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom (UK) and the Provincial Police in Canada. These are in addition to the federal forces.
"In actual sense, it is the state Police that has the ability to effectively deliver on crime prevention.
"I dare say that crime prevention cannot be effectively achieved without liaison with the traditional institutions in Nigeria. As the traditional institutions, we know the people that knowledge gives us the native intelligence to know the criminal elements within our society.
"If you give us the power today, we will route out all the criminals in our society and hand them over to the police.
Oba McGregor declared that state Police tends to give a sense of belonging; a sense of commitment and loyalty to the state and by extension, the people.
"Invariably, there will be healthy competitions among state security apparatus in Nigeria because if a state is doing well and its economy is doing well, investors will throop in there. It will encourage other states to follow likewise.
"There are lots of flaws in the current system of federal policing because it is almost at the revolving doors. The state police working with the traditional institutions will make them phenomenally effective. Insecurity will disappear".
"All the hullabaloo about farmers-herdsmen's conflicts are grassroot issues and can be solved if we sit at the traditional rulers roundtable meeting with the stakeholders, the state and the federal police and tangible solutions will be preferred for the entire country".
Addressing members of the Arewa community at Ago-Ika, Oba MacGregor, who commended members of the Arewa community for their peaceful co-existence with their neighbours for years immemorial in Egbaland, assured them of supports "at whatever form" throughout the periods of their stay in his domain.
He however, charged them not to consider themselves as alien, but strive towards being good ambassadors of their respective states even while doing genuine business in Egbaland.
Responding, head of the Arewa Community in Ago-Ika, Alhaji Mohammad Kamilu appreciated the monarch for his efforts at uniting all residents under his kingdom, notwithstanding their affiliated tribes.
Kamilu, who was the head of the poultry section, also assured Oba McGregor of the unalloyed supports of the northerners doing genuinely businesses in Ilawo Community, stressing that his routine daily health walk has always being a source of inspiration to them.
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