*asks professionals to join politics
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The Aare-Onibon Balogun of Ibadanland, Olooye Adegboyega Taofeek Adegoke on Sunday, advocated involvement of traditional rulers in governance in Nigeria to stem insecurity.
Speaking while featuring on a Fresh FM 105.9 Ibadan radio programmme, “Agbami Oselu”, Olooye Adegoke said traditional rulers are in a better position to stem insecurity in the country because of their closeness to the people.
According to the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial aspirant, the time has come for the National Assembly to embarked on constitutional amendment to accommodate such roles for traditional rulers in governance.
Olooye Adegoke maintained that traditional rulers are closer to the people than local government chairmen.
“It is very hard to see anyone who will not recognise their monarch but they may not even know their local government chairman. Therefore, for democracy to thrive, there is the need for the involvement of traditional rulers in governance particularly in the area of security”, he said.
Olooye Adegoke, ” Security is germane to the peaceful coexistence of any community and national development. It is high time for the government to take security issues more seriously by delegating constitutional roles to traditional rulers”.
He pointed out that this would afford the traditional rulers to have first hands information on security issues in their various communities and as such, they would know how to address any security challenge that may arise from their domains.
Olooye Adegoke however, urged professionals, academics and the technocrats not to steer clear of politics so as not to give opportunity to hoodlums and miscreants to be in position of leadership.
” People of integrity should join politics in order not to give hoodlums a chance to be in power. There will be scarcity in the country. There will be shortage of food, there will be inflation if the hoodlums take over because there is this saying that you cannot give what you don’t have”.
Olooye Adegoke stated, “if we don’t participate in politics, it is the miscreants and the hoodlums that will be ruling us and we cannot complain. We are not putting a round peg in a round hole. There is a problem of leadership and followership”.
