Oyo State Amotekun Corps Operatives; The Oliver Twist -By Segun Adebowale

I cannot but write as a concerned Oyo state citizen to still drive home the points on professionalization of Oyo State Amotekun corps operation through the human / personnel development despite the recent gesture which really appreciated from His Excellency Engineer Seyi Makinde in provision of operational vehicles and other security gadgets to easy Security operation in Oyo State. It needs to emphasize in that the Oyo State Government should work and solve the problems below that can make her effort a futile one. A Yourba adage says that “ti a ba fie yin (egg) seyin owo otun (back of your right hand palm) ti a tu fie yin (egg) sehin owo osi (back of your left hand palm) ti a wa fie yin rin (walk backward) wole Iseyin, eniti ti a yin ni a kuku yin ni (he who will praise you will definitely praise you and he who will not praise you will not). The Oyo State Amotekun corps operatives are among Oyo State citizens that are praising and jubilating over the official handing over of newly purchased Oyo State Amoetkun operational vehicles to the amiable father and the Chairman of Oyo State Amotekun Board of Governance Major General Togun whose significant performance and structured military system operated while in the Nigeria Army worth emulation and replication into the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) which I strongly believe that he is ready to do as expected if really given opportunity to act as a recognized Oyo State Amotekun Board Chairman. This official handing over of the Oyo State Amotekun operational vehicles to the Oyo State Board Chairman by His Excellency Engineer Seyi Makinde, is a good indication of New Dawn in Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) “Omi titun ti ru, eja nla so jade’. Erudite and indefatigable Board Chairman of Oyo State Amotekun Corps, welcome on Board. As you and your board members are paying listening hears to the aspiration and yearning of Oyo State citizens and the Amotekun corps personnel, and recommending a world standard solution that will professionalized the Oyo State Amotekun corps operation, may God listen to your yearning and aspiration to the end.

Had it been Colonel Olayinka the Oyo State Amotekun corps commandant had been relating and allow dialogue with other experienced board members, for two good heads is better than one good head, the Oyo State Amotekun would not have been operating on abstract operational manual and code of conduct which the content and interpretation are usually change according to the dictate of offence and atmosphere surrounding the disciplinary committee (if there is) to attend the case. The Oyo State Amotekun Board and the Amotekun State Commandant Colonel Olayinka should know that the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) needs operational manual and code of conduct, as it was used by the board chairman and the commandant while in Nigeria Army, to direct the affairs of the personnel so as to professionalize the activities / operation of the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) during your administration as Oyo State Amotekun corps Board chairman and Oyo State Amotekun Commandant.

The Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) and the State Amotekun commandant along with Board of Governance are implored to jointly propose a rank / grading system to the Oyo State Government, so as to professionalize the Agency personnel. It is a pity and unpleasant to hear that the military ranks and files system that promoted you from minimum rank to attained the rank of Colonel and Major General is the one you are depriving the Oyo State Amotekun Corps. What a pity and shameful position Oyo State Amotekun corps is in the midst of other South West Amotekun corps? Information gathered from Ondo State, Ekiti State and Ogun state which this can be substantiate with the template of ranks requirement from the States mentioned, if can be copied or a better one can be designed for Oyo State Amotekun corps personnel, to enhance professional operation. As this categorization through rank / grade level shall put each officer in a department where they would be more responsible and answerable to the superior Amotekun corps officers at Local Government, Zonal / Area Command office and State headquarter who then present daily, monthly or yearly report on operation carried out to and as required by the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun).

EKITI, ONDO AND OGUN STATE RANK / GRADE LEVEL REQUIREMENT TABLE
Post of AMT Field Corps (Operatives) requirement SSCE Certificate or Local Vigilante, Hunters, etc. with ability to read and write (GL.03)
Post of AMT Inspector of Corps requirement Post-Secondary Qualifications (e.g. NCE, ND, etc. or its equivalent) (GL.06/07)
Post of AMT Asst. Supt. of Corps requirement Post-Secondary (Degree) Qualifications (e.g. B.Sc., B.Ed., etc. or its equivalent) Preferably Ex-Servicemen with minimum rank of full Lieutenant in the Army and /or equivalent in other Security Agencies. (GL.08)
Post of AMT Supt of Corps requirement Post-Secondary (Degree) and Other Professional Qualifications (e.g. B.Sc., B.Ed., etc. or its equivalent) Preferably Ex-Servicemen with minimum rank of Captain in the Army and /or its equivalent in other Security Agencies. (GL.09)
Post of AMT Asst. Commander of Corps requirement Post-Secondary (Degree) and Other Professional Qualifications (e.g. B.Sc., B.Ed., etc. or its equivalent) Preferably Ex-Servicemen with minimum rank of Chief Superintendent of Police and its equivalent in the Military and other Security services. (GL.12)

It was revealed that since November year 2020 the Oyo State Security Network Agency has not deem it fit to retrain the Amotekun corps personnel. No leadership training which can help in the acquisition of skill necessary for effective decision making, mentoring and teamwork. There should be Amotekun corps leadership training in all Local Government councils and for various levels within the enlisted and operative ranks. The Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) has not organized what military referred to as Basic Combat Training for Amotekun corps operative in which the traditions, tactics and methods of becoming an effective Amotekun corps operatives shall be taught and how to work as a member of a team to accomplish tasks. No exclusive training for the drivers (do the Agency even recruited drivers?).

No military / paramilitary training for Amotekun corps operatives on how to handle dane guns not to talk of sophisticated rifles. The Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun), the Board of Governance and Oyo State Amotekun corps Commandant with the Oyo Amotekun corps operative are just operating with Common sense that are not common, which with no doubt is making Oyo State Administrative problems more complex on daily basis. The problems that ought to have solved simply, is posing itself against the personnel development and thereby messing up and tagged some important personnel among the board of Governance. This retraining is very important for all Oyo State Amotekun corps except the fact that the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) wish to retain the OPC system of operation. Please, Oyo State Government wakes up from your snoring as a pacesetter state.
The Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) needs to set up appropriate departments of its Agency as contain in the Oyo State Amotekun corps Law 2020 section 4 thus
The departments of the Agency shall comprise of the following:

(i) Administration and Supplies;
(ii) Legal Services;
(iii) Operation and Monitoring;
(iv) Finance and Accounts;
(v) Research, Planning and Statistics; and
(vi) any other department as may be created by the Agency through its regulation. Like Investigation Unit and Medical Unit.

It is pertinent that for effectiveness and easy administration various department as enshrined in Oyo State Amotekun Law 2020 should let see light of the day, this and other tools for effective and smooth running of the Oyo State Amotekun are been prevented by some saboteurs in the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun), so as to misappropriate funds that government is giving to Oyo State Amotekun.

There should be personnel categorization through Certification so as to allow professionalism in the Oyo State Amotekun corps operations as it had been done in Ondo State, Ogun State and Ekiti State respectively.

Above all your Excellency Engineer Seyi Makinde, the Board Chairman and member with Oyo State Amotekun corps Commandant look into the underlying principle that denied the Oyo State Amotekun corps operatives an operational manual and code of conduct which are to set all mechanisms for the Amotekun corps operatives discipline in their professional and the justification behind dumping of the Oyo State Amotekun establishing Law (2020) into a neglectful dust bin by the Oyo State Amotekun Board and the Agency thereby making Oyo State Amotekun corps to operates in an unlawful and lawless manners (unprofessional) .
My respectful readers, you shall read soon from me to facilitate with the Oyo State Citizens and Amotekun corps, as the Oyo State Government approves the professionalization and commissioning of the Oyo State Amotekun corps personnel and to appreciate His Excellency Engineer Seyi Makinde, the Executive Governor of Oyo State and the Oyo State House Assembly Members who are wholeheartedly interested in making Oyo State a Pecesetter state for the citizenry and would be foreign investors to stay.

Do your part by sharing all my voice and piece to THE OYO S STATE AMOTEKUN CORPS OPERATIVES you know who are the most affected citizens, for them to pass it on to the OYO STATE SECURITY NETWORK AGENCY (AMOTEKUN) BOARD OF GOVERNANCE CHAIRMAN MEMBERS, AMOTEKUN STATE COMMANDANT AND THE OYO STATE GOVERNMENT.
Please let all my write-up be viewed objectively, not to against any personality nor Oyo State Government but to let the Government and Oyo State citizens know that the OYO STATE AMOTEKUN CORPS OPERATIVES CAN PERFORM MORE THAN THE WAY IT IS DOING, IF PROFESSIONALIZED TO MEET UP WITH THE STANDARAD WORLD VIEW SECURITY.