On Thursday, January 10, 2020, all the Southwest governors put their political differences aside to yield to the yearnings of the security of their people to launch a regional security outfit, ‘AMOTEKUN’ to complement the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
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The governors, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, Engr Seyi Makimde of Oyo, Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo, Gboyega Oyetola of Osun and Dr Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti States came together as one to do the unthinkable.
2019 could be said to be a nightmare to all inhabitants of the Southwest Region where no one can sleep with their two eyes closed over the rampaging gunmen kidnapping both the young, the old, the poor and the rich.
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Initially, most media spokespersons to the governors issued press statements that social media are blowing the kidnapping issues out of proportion.
The reality came when the daughter of Afenifere Chieftain, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, Mrs Funke Olakunrin was ambushed on Benin-Ore Expressway and murdered in cold blood on July 12, 2019.
The controversies surrounding the death of Mrs Olakunrin gave birth to the coming together of the governors to form a common front to combat the menace of gunmen in the region.
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The birth of ‘AMOTEKUN’ which literarily means Leopard in English is commendable, not only because they were able to form a common front for its emergence but because they were able to manoeuvre their ways in a heterogeneous society like Nigeria without any form of confrontation with the Federal might and without shedding of blood.
The seamless wisdom exhibited in making it see the light of the day is worth commending.
Now that ‘AMOTEKUN’ has been inaugurated to combat crime in the region to complement the efforts of other security agents, nothing should derail its original plan.
Just like the founding fathers of this historic outfit stated at the inauguration in Ibadan, Oyo State on Thursday, the policy guiding the formation should be jealously guided.
People should not be given room to abuse this privilege.
According to the leader of Southwest Governors Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu in his keynote address, he said, “AMOTEKUN’ should not be politicised because it is an outfit that would enhance the efforts of government in tackling security challenges across six states and the nation as a whole.“
For us at the SOJ WORLDWIDE ONLINE NEWS, we say, nation-building is not about criticising always without seeing the positive sides of our leaders and commending them where necessary.
Just the same way we made noises against the governors for their nonchalant attitude against the plight of the people they govern six months ago, we are here again to commend the same leaders we chastised for a job well done.
Let us conclude our first Editorial by borrowing this evergreen lyrics from the ace Reggae Superstar, Jimmy Cliff, “We can do it if we really want…”
www.sojworldnews.com (c) January 11, 2020
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