Chief Olu Falae
Elder stateman and frontline South-West leader, Chief Olu Falae, has reacted to the passage of Operation Amotekun bill in the houses of Assembly in the South-West region of Nigeria.
In an exclusive telephone chat with everyeveryng, the elder stateman outrightly condemned the rate of kidnapping, killing, herders-farmers clashes, and other social vices in the region.
According to him, “Every right-thinking person in the South-West region knows that insecurity is the number one issue of concern in the region and the country at large at the moment.”
However, he challenged the experience of those who kicked against the establishment of Operation Amotekun adding that protection of lives and property is what should be of priority to every citizen
“Who are the people who are condemning the establishment of Operation Amotekun ?”
“Some people come to the South-West region to kidnap our people, slaughter farmers in their farms, and destroy their crops, it is obvious that what destroys farmer’s crops, destroys their livelihood, the South-West Governors came up with an initiative that could solve the problem, and some people are saying that it is not what matters, security is the number one issue in the country today.”
“There can be no development or industrialization if the farmers are feeling unsafe, and Amotekun is the right thing for us to do at this time.”
Olu Falae, who is also the Baale Oluabo of Ilu Abo and the Gbobaniyi of Akure, flashed back to what he experienced when he was kidnapped.
“At the age of 77, I was kidnapped, humiliated, and macheted by some riff raffs, and those who are against the establishment of Amotekun has nothing to say about that.”
“Every Yoruba person will be an agent of Amotekun, provide information about criminals that are threatening the region, our livelihood and our persons, and there is no room for further argument on the importance of Amotekun.
Reacting to question on the seriousness of the southwest Governors about the initiative, Falae said “Their actions so far suggest to me that they are serious and committed, it is those who does not want the west to grow that is casting doubt on the integrity of our leaders.”
Also, Falae expressed optimism that those concerned would do their best to pick the right people for the security outfit “Though some people will show that they are the wrong set of people, they will replace them.
“Our Lord Jesus Christ recruitted twelve people as his disciples and one of them turned out to be bad, so we expect that the wrong ones would be replaced if they fail to perform, there are fifty million Yorubas, so it is not difficult to replace anyone who is not performing.”
Meanwhile, the six Houses of assembly in the southwest geo-political zone have passed bills on the establishment of Amotekun, to address the security challenges in the region.
The bill has been passed into law by Ekiti, Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ogun state Houses of Assembly.
In Oyo State, the lawmakers who dressed in the symbolic leopard outfit of Operation Amotekun passed the bill for the establishment of Oyo State Security Network Agency, otherwise called Amotekun Corps, following the presentation of the report of the House Committee on Security and Special Duties at the plenary.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Adebo Ogundoyin, said the passage of the bill into law would help promote security for the people of the state.
He gave an assurance that the outfit would soon become operational, adding that more vehicles and other equipment would be provided for the corps.
Mr. Akeem Obadara (PDP-Ibadan Northwest) had earlier presented the report of the Committee on Security and Strategy to the House at the plenary.
With the passage of the bills, all is now set for the governors to assent to the draft law.