Rescue Oyo State Amotekun Ship From Scuttling -By Segun Adebowale

Sequel to series of correspondence e-mail sent to me on my write-up on some developmental issues that ought to have been implemented in Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) which the content of mail received are mixed with both positive and negative opinion from general public. To those who think negatively on all points discussed I cannot but appreciate you on your opinion because your views with my experience tell me that indeed you are an African, a typical Nigerian for that matter, that so much rate being subjective higher than being objective, and so much believe in disorder and corrupt way of doing things rather than follow the orderly, conventional and acceptable civilized world view ways of doing things. Honestly speaking I was not offended; I can only describe your negative opinion on the write-up as a misconception and misrepresentation of the truth of the world Security ethics and standard, which is failed to operate in Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun). And besides, as a law abiding Oyo State citizen, it is a right to hold the State Government accountable for the measure the State Government is putting in place to see that the Oyo State Security Agency (Amotekun) is performing the duty of securing lives and properties of the citizen to the security standard (structure) of the world view. All odds the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) is experiencing is intentional.

It is a well known established fact that Oyo State was the first State to have a University (University of Ibadan) in 1948. The State is blessed with many institute of higher learning which has produced many elites within and outside the State. Oyo State literacy level was rate by UNESCO in 2012 to be 45.8% which ought to have increased following the un-relent efforts of the Oyo State Government on education sector which the present administration also upholds. Oyo State according to educational finding is also one of the most educated state in Nigeria. With all these educational qualities of Oyo State: a pace setter state it quiet unfair for a well established State Security outfit (Amotekun) of the State to be governed by people that can neither read nor write while having people with high quality of education that can keep the educational status of the State growing and uphold professionalism in Oyo State Security Network (Amotekun).

The first negative tag on the write up is view from political point of view, I am not a politician but a concerned Oyo State citizen and a Security expert who aligned and wishes to associate himself with the endless efforts of the Oyo State Government in creating a secured and conducive environment (State) for her citizen and foreign investors. This vision was made known by His Excellency Engineer Seyi Makinde on PMparrot news on September 15, 2019. He said and I quote “I have chosen to keep in clear focus, the four pillars of development upon which we are building the prosperity of Oyo State: the Economy, Education, Healthcare and SECURITY. Permit me to restate my visions for these areas and to share with you what we have done so far to make these visions a reality. Indeed, visions exist in the realm of imagination. In keying into a vision, we are hoping that what we imagined will come to reality”. But can this glorious vision of our dear Governor and his cabinet be achieved without structure in the State owned Security outfit? Actually, on the part of the governor and the Oyo State House of assembly bulk of work on establishment of a State owned Security outfit had been done by working together with other South West States in creating Amotekun corps. I salute the Oyo State Government for the cooperation. Notwithstanding adequate monitoring, supervision and evaluation of progress of activities with personnel development of the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) should be a pertinent issue Oyo State Government for the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) and its personnel not to mar and truncate the Security vision of the State Government.

Likewise, the misconception is also Major General (rtd) Toogun the Oyo State Amotekun Board Chairman, Col (rtd) Olayinka the Oyo State Amotekun Commandant and other Oyo State Amotekun governing board members which the Special adviser to the Oyo State Government on Security matter CP (rtd) Fatai Owoseni who had served at the Nigeria Police with other Security experience. The Governing Board also include the serving Commissioner of Police in the State and one member representing the different services of the Armed Forces of Nigeria operating in the State, the Oyo State Governing Board composition indeed are round pegs in a round hole. They are all up to the task, is only that the legacy and standard operating system using in the Armed Forces, Paramilitary and Voluntary Organizations of world has not been introduced to Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) so as to complement the efforts of Oyo State Government that appointed them (Major General (rtd) Toogun and Col (rtd) Olayinka) to Structuralize and Standardize (in terms of grading/ranking, operative manual) the operation and activities of the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun). I encourage all of you to do away with any personal or caucus (especially OPC caucus, because this is Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) interest that wants your wealth of your experience as an outstanding and excellent Major General, Colonel, CP etc while in Security service to be a waste in the Oyo State Security Network (Amotekun). Uphold the best Military and Paramilitary Standard that was used while in Nigeria Army and Nigeria Police in Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) for posterity to remember you for good. Beside the Oyo State Amotekun Legal Adviser Mrs Enitan Akinbode one of the brilliant, intelligent and successful lawyer in Oyo State, should give an advice to Oyo State Government on Standardization of Oyo State Amotekun corps operations and the personnel development as stipulated in the law that established the Oyo State Security outfit (Amotekun), since there is leading counsel in legal setting. Why should this be forbidden in Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun)? Even among the traditional councils who are also part of the Governing Board, there is hierarchy. All needed in the Oyo State Security Network (Amotekun) is Organizational structural, Code of conduct and Ranking/grading system ,Training and retraining for each Oyo State Amotekun Corps even if belonging to a Socio-cultural (like OPC, VGN, etc) would be the yard stick create the rank/grade but “mind you what worth doing must be done well”.

In addition to the above, I learnt from a reliable source that there is no unity and mutual understanding between the Amotekun Governing Board, the Agency and the Amotekun corps commandant; even there is a rumor (mind you out of every rumor, there an iota of truth) that Oyo State Amotekun Commandant has pocketed Amotekun Governing Board Chairman and its members. This is a serious matter that needs serious attention by the Oyo State Government because “where two elephants fight the grass tends to suffer”. It is the lives and properties of us the Oyo State citizens that are being toyed with by people that are to work as a system to achieve predetermined goals. The information received on rift among the Amotekun governing board and other Amotekun bosses now explain why having experienced ex-services and serving men to paddle the affair of the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) but yet to deliver as expected. Let all rancors be forgotten. All concerned individual in the affair of Oyo State Security Network should do away with the ego of “my interest” (like socio-cultural groups, religion, political affiliation, ulterior motive, favoritism etc) and all forms of differences that want to prove your wealth of experience otherwise, join your hand together and nurture the nascent Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) perfectly grow, so that when you are out of the system you could boastfully says that “I am among the team that put the Structure of Oyo State Amotekun corps into a Standard world form. Remember the Yoruba sayings that “Ajeje owo kan ko gberu d’ori” kii lode ti eyin alase iko omo ogun Amotekun ati ijoba Ipinle Oyo kose wa ni ifowosowopo lati je ki eto isakoso iko Amotekun rorun ju boti wa yi loo?

My esteemed readers who are holding are misconceptions and negative opinion on some articles written by me, there is a proverb in Yoruba which says that “it is only a liar that would say that his / her witness is in heaven”. I stand to be corrected if the facts discussed are investigated and found to be false. The only witness that can testify to all points raised in all articles written can only be established in a law instituted by the amiable Oyo State House of Assembly which was signed to Law by the visionary Governor of Oyo State in the year 2020, which should be the reference for all operation and personnel development for Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun). Let the law be used so as to realize smooth and effective running of Security Outfit of Oyo State Government. As you may believe or not that what Nigeria is facing today as a Country is the failure to use and uphold the Constitution, so also the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) is not left out. Let the Oyo State Amotekun Board of Governance work independently, let the Oyo State Security Agency (Amotekun) wake-up to perform as expected, let the Oyo State Amotekun Commandant works with his mandate, all with close monitoring and supervision of the Oyo State Government under the auspices of legal framework of the Amotekun Established Law.