Oba Hameed Adekunle Oyelude, the Olowu of Kuta in Osun State
Nigeria military overstretched, FG should empower police – Popular monarch
Oba Hameed Adekunle Oyelude, the Olowu of Kuta in Osun State, has expressed concern over the strain placed on Nigeria’s military due to its involvement in tasks beyond its constitutional mandate.
Addressing the press in his palace, the monarch highlighted the need for the government to shift focus towards equipping and empowering the Nigeria Police Force to handle internal security challenges effectively.
Oba Oyelude emphasized that while the military’s primary role is safeguarding the nation’s territorial borders, it has become overburdened with responsibilities extending beyond its mandate.
He urged the federal government to allocate resources to enhance the police force’s capacity, including adequate funding, a workforce, and modern equipment.
“The Constitutional mandate for our military is the protection of our territorial borders, but they are now being overstretched,” Oba Oyelude stated.
He added: “Meanwhile, the police that is saddled with the responsibility of maintaining internal security lack proper funding, manpower required equipment.”
The monarch stressed the importance of investing in and retraining police and providing them with the necessary resources to relieve the pressure on the military and ensure more efficient handling of internal security matters.
In addition to addressing security concerns, Oba Oyelude also addressed the issue of traditional rulers losing relevance in Yoruba land due to a shift away from cultural preservation.
He lamented the decline in adherence to traditional practices, such as the period of seclusion for new conventional rulers, which he deemed essential for their proper preparation and spiritual fortification.
“Many traditional rulers in Yorubaland are misbehaving because they did not go through the proper traditional seclusion properly,” the Olowu of Kuta said.
“And because traditional rulers are adopting foreign traditions and culture, they are losing relevance on a daily basis,” he added.
The monarch urged kingmakers and stakeholders to uphold traditional customs and rituals, including the extended period of seclusion for newly appointed traditional rulers, to ensure their effectiveness in preserving culture and tradition within their respective domains.
In conclusion, Oba Oyelude emphasized the importance of returning to the roots of tradition and culture to maintain the integrity and relevance of traditional institutions in Yoruba land while also advocating for a strategic reallocation of security responsibilities to ease the burden on the military and enhance internal security operations.