His Highness, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife has called on the youth leader of the Ibarapa community in Ondo state, Sunday Igboho, to resist being used by politicians to foment trouble.
The monarch gave the advice while speaking with Arise Television yesterday.
Igboho has been in the news headline in the past one week after he leads some group of youth in the Ibarapa local government Area of Ondo State to the house of Serikin Fulani, Salihu Abdulkadir, leader of the Fulani group to warn him of the trouble his kinsmen, Fulani herders are being suspected to be behind the kidnapping of some people in the community.
Although the Ooni applauded Igboho for speaking out for the youth and the voiceless community people he warns the youth leader to avoid being hijacked by politicians either through taking the law into his hand or to foment unnecessary trouble.
The monarch in his statement 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,”.
According to Ogunwusi, though igboho action is commendable, but has advised him that he was not in any position to decide on what should be done since there is a sitting Governor, who is the Chief Security officer of the state.
He reminded Igboho that his voice has been heard loud and clear, however, he should exercise caution in dealing with people, while advising all youth to stop the display of the youthful exuberance and allow law and order to take its cause.
He noted that the Traditional Rulers are also not sleeping as they are working tirelessly with the authorities to bring an end to the carnage.
“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 them. Let the right people chosen do and follow what they are supposed to do,” the monarch added.
The Ooni revealed that the Traditional Rulers have a role to play and which is to play neutrality and so far they have been doing that.
Although he said sometimes they have to go out o their way and criticize the leaders where leaders go wrong, however, as a father to all, they have to accommodate everybody and support the government in what they are doing to people.
