By Peace Udugba -The daily torch media
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has said he should not be held responsible for the worsening insecurity across the Southwest, insisting that he consistently warned political leaders about the looming crisis long before it escalated.
Speaking on Wednesday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM in Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State, Adams provided a detailed account of intelligence alerts, strategic proposals, and failed engagements with state actors. He stressed that the current situation is the result of prolonged inaction rather than a lack of foresight.
He described the present security landscape as unprecedented in the history of Yorubaland, noting that a region once considered relatively stable is now grappling with coordinated threats, including kidnapping, armed incursions, and killings.
According to him, the crisis did not emerge overnight but followed a pattern he had observed and warned against for years, particularly in agrarian and border communities where early signs of infiltration were evident but largely ignored.
Tracing the roots of the insecurity, Adams said his concerns predate his installation as Aare Ona Kakanfo in 2018. He revealed that he had raised alarms about the movement of armed elements into parts of Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa, citing intelligence reports indicating a growing presence of non-state actors with sophisticated weapons. However, he said the warnings were dismissed, allowing the situation to deteriorate.
“If you want to blame anybody on insecurity in the Southwest, don’t blame me. I raised awareness and pushed for proactive measures before things got out of hand. Unfortunately, those warnings were not taken seriously, and today we are seeing the consequences,” he said.
“I Am Not a Ceremonial Aare”
Addressing calls for him to take decisive action, Adams clarified that expectations placed on his office do not align with modern political and legal realities. While the title historically carried military authority under the old Oyo Empire, he said current governance structures in Nigeria limit his powers.
He explained that unlike his predecessors, who operated with full war powers under the Alaafin, he cannot unilaterally mobilise forces or take security decisions without government approval.
“You cannot just wake up and take security directives on your own, no matter the title you hold,” he said, warning that any such action would be unlawful and could attract serious consequences.
Adams attributed these limitations to historical changes following the 1914 amalgamation of Nigeria, which significantly reduced the powers of traditional institutions. He noted that even community-level security initiatives now require government approval.
“I am not a ceremonial Aare. I have the experience and background in security matters, but the power to act is not in my hands the way people think,” he added.
Call for Collaboration
He reiterated that addressing insecurity requires deliberate collaboration between government authorities and grassroots security structures. Without such cooperation, he said, expectations placed on traditional institutions would remain largely symbolic.
Adams disclosed that upon assuming office, he wrote to Southwest governors, proposing a regional security summit. However, he expressed frustration that it took over a year for a coordinated response, which eventually led to the Ibadan security conference and the creation of the Amotekun Corps.
“Amotekun Has Been Politicised”
While acknowledging the significance of the Amotekun Corps, Adams argued that the initiative was weakened by the absence of a unified command structure. According to him, the decision by individual states to operate independently fragmented coordination and reduced effectiveness.
He also criticised inconsistencies in implementation, noting that some states failed to fully operationalise the outfit despite legislative backing. In contrast, he commended Oyo and Ondo states for showing stronger commitment, linking their relative success to leadership under Seyi Makinde and the late Rotimi Akeredolu.
Beyond Amotekun, Adams said he proposed a broader framework to integrate grassroots and private security networks into a structured system capable of addressing manpower gaps. He highlighted the role of groups such as the Oodua People’s Congress, hunters, vigilantes, and women-led intelligence networks.
“We are not lacking in manpower; what we lack is coordination and political will,” he said, adding that millions of operatives across these networks could be mobilised if properly organised and supported.
Concerns Over Arms and Recruitment
Adams warned that local security outfits are at a disadvantage due to restrictions on the type of weapons they can carry, especially when confronting criminals armed with advanced firearms.
“You cannot expect a security outfit without sophisticated weapons to confront criminals who are heavily armed. That imbalance is a serious problem,” he said.
He also criticised the politicisation of recruitment into security outfits, arguing that competence has often been sacrificed for patronage, thereby weakening operational efficiency.
The Way Forward
Adams concluded that insecurity in the Southwest will continue to worsen without genuine collaboration between government institutions and grassroots security structures.
“The solution is not complicated, but it requires sincerity and commitment. We need a unified, intelligence-driven system that prioritises coordination over politics and action over rhetoric. If we fail to act now, the situation will only get worse,” he said.
