The Oyo State Amotekun And Forceful Traditional Oath Taken -By Segun Adebayo

The headships at the helm of Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) have resorted to make traditional oath taken as an important tool of office so as to cover up their (Administrators) misdeed and administrative incompetent. The initial traditional oath taken by Oyo State Amotekun operatives on November, 2020 in Oyo town, to Colonel Olayinka and host of other at Oyo State Amotekun helms of affair has “expired” or impotent simply because Colonel Olayinka and his leading administrative teams have never sworn not to embezzle the public funds entrust to them for securing lives and properties of the citizens. Therefore the second phase of traditional Oath taken has been flagged-up by the Oyo State Government. The fact that is known to me is that this traditional Oath taken does not rooted in the 2020 Law that established Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) and neither did it rooted in the neither Oyo State Civil Service Law nor Public Service Law that the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) is attached to.

Actually, the first traditional oath taken in November, 2020 at Oyo, is to some extent defended on the basis that may Colonel Olayinka and Oyo State Amotekun Board seen that some trainees are bad eggs who can under the pretence that they are Amotekun operatives use the uniform to perpetrate or continue their evil acts. Can the management of the Oyo State Security Agency (Amotekun) and its Board of Governance disclose to the public the extent that the traditional oath taken used in November has helps in taming and curb the criminal behaviors of Oyo State Amotekun Operatives.

The reason(s) for this second traditional oath taken needs to be explained to the public, may be some valuable security items / equipment got missing or what could call for this forceful traditional oath taken on the innocent Oyo State Citizens? Or is the oath taken aimed at seal the plan of using the Amotekun operatives for rigging 2023 the Oyo State Governorship election because as I do hear that the intent of the exact work of Oyo State Amotekun corps has not been made known, this is part of what is stopping the professionalization in terms of grading and ranking, provision of code of conduct and operational manual. Beside, let the management teams lead by example by starting the traditional oath thus “I Colonel Olayinka Olayanju (you mention your mother’s name) if I have ever embezzled or convert any benefit of the Oyo State Amotekun operatives into my personal use or having the intention of doing so, this and that should happen to me” note you are to do this with the necessary traditional oath taken instrument, (though not ethical) since you and your leading team in the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) so much believe in it. But you are to make it optional for the operatives whose belief is not in-line to the oath instrument. Let the Oyo State Amotekun Commandant, Col (rtd) Olayinka Olayanju and his Deputy Akinro also swear that the Odua People’s Congress (OPC) interest is not propelling their decision in the management of Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) affairs and that Colonel Olayinka Olayanju and Akinro his 2ic did not cover-up some Oyo State Amotekun Operatives who are seriously perpetrate crimes under the name of being Amotekun operatives. (Remember the issue of one Amotekun taut who kill a suspect at Akinyele that was covered up because the operative is an OPC member).

Have written severally that the problems facing the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) and its Operatives is management problem which range from lack of code of conduct, operational manual, personnel development through retraining exercise, ranking/grading system and some other administrative guideline that need to put into operation in the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) which Colonel Olayinka Olayanju and the Oyo State Amotekun failed to understand. I wonder, in operating without manual, code of conduct and law what exactly have the Oyo State Amotekun violated or ought to have done but failed to do, that warrant this forceful traditional oath taken which exclude Colonel Olayinka Olayanju and his administrative teams who are misappropriating security vote entrusted to them. If the Amotekun’s operatives are to take a oath, Colonel Olayinka Olayanju, his 2ic Akinro, General Togun and other Board members, even the Government officers in the Oyo State Security Network Agency should also swear (though not ethical) that they are doing the right things in the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun).

It is now crystal clear that colonel Olayinka and the Oyo State Amotekun Board of Governance with the Civil servant posted to the Agency by the Oyo State civil service commission are desperately taken cultic measures to conceal their evil and corrupt practices in the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) if not what could necessitate for traditional oath swearing embark on at this time?
It is highly metaphorical and ironical in the Oyo State Security Network Agency that the Oyo State Amotekun commandant colonel Olayinka Olayanju and Akinro his 2ic who suppose to undergo traditional oath taken for they hold the power of making and or mar the administration of the Oyo State Security Network Agency are the one forcing the operatives who only have access to monthly salary to swear traditinally. Colonel Olayinka, the Board Chairman; General Kunle Togun and the Board members were the traditional Oath administered on you when you assumed the juicy position you are? Beside a space invader (alien) in the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun), a non indigene of Oyo State has now been lord over the affair of the Oyo State indigene. The Oyo State Government should better find another opportunity to compensate this Kwara State born Oyo State Amotekun commandant; Colonel Olayinka Olayanju before he (Olayinka Olayanju) destroy completely the State nascent security outfit. I advice Colonel Olayinka Olayanju to relinquish his appointment to a well meaning Oyo State citizens who is ready to make the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) a World Standard Security outfit.
If and only the Oyo State Amotekun operatives are to take oath, the oath should not be under the OPC caucus condition that the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) is operating. Those to hold sway are to assume the office/post by academic qualification and know who truly they are accountable to and the punishable offences contain in code of conduct and operational manual that the leaders are to hold the operatives under them responsible for. The only oath to take is the Oath of Allegiance as contained in the Oaths Act of 2004 as amended.

At this crucial juncture, I call on the Ministry of Justice “the last hope of common men” and the Oyo State Attorney General; Prof Oyelowo Oyewo (SAN) to please call the attention of the Oyo State Governor Engineer Seyi Makinde and Oyo State House of Assembly to this ugly decision of the Oyo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun) to order. And also call the attention of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Muslim Society of Nigeria to come to the aids of some faithful and innocent Oyo State Amotekun corps whose faith may not allow swearing traditionally.

EXTRACTION FROM OATHS ACT 2004
Section 5
Form and manner in which oath may be taken
(l) Whenever an oath is required to be taken under the provisions of this or any other Act, or in order to comply with the requirements of any law in force for the time being in Nigeria, or other country, the following provisions shall apply-
The person taking the oath may do so in the form and manner following, that is to say-
(a) he shall-
(i) if a Muslim, place both hands on a copy of the Koran;
(ii) if a Christian, hold in his right hand a copy of the Holy Bible or of the New Testament; (iii) if a Jew, hold in his uplifted hand a copy of the Old Testament; and shall say or repeat after the person administering the oath the words pre- scribed by law or by the practice of the court, as the case may be;
(b) in any other manner which is lawful according to any law, customary or otherwise, in force in Nigeria.
(2) Where any person taking an oath is physically incapable of taking the oath as provided in the foregoing subsection, he may touch or hold such copy otherwise, or if necessary, such copy may be held before him by the person administering the oath.

ARMED FORCES OATH

I ………………………………………………………………………………….. swear by Almighty God that in the service of my country-

1. I will be faithful and will bear true allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria at all times.
2. I will truly and faithfully serve the Federal Republic of Nigeria as by law established as a…………. and will as in duty bound so serve for the period of my engagement or re-engagernent, as the case may be, and to wherever ordered by land, sea or air and I will observe and obey commands of the Government of the Federation of Nigeria as by law established and of officers placed over me.
3. I will always perform my duties diligently and efficiently and will not engage or be involved in any activity in conflict either directly or indirectly with this pledge.
4. I will, in the performance of my duties, eschew and expose corruption and will not corrupt others or aid or abet corruption in all its facets.
5. I will not discriminate on the basis of religion, tribe or cult or practise any form of partiality in the performance of my duties and will always follow the path of justice, honesty and concord amongst all the people of Nigeria in all I do.
6. I will subject myself to all Acts, Laws, subsidiary legislation and service regulations which now are or shall, from time to time, be in force and applicable to the Arm in which I am to serve during the period of my engagement or re-engagernent, as the case may be.

So help me God. …………………………………… Signature or mark SWORN at ……………………………. this …………………… day of ……………………………… 20 ……… . Before me …………………………….. Signature of Officer

ARMED FORCES AFFIRMATION
The declaration will follow the form of oath except that the words “swear by Almighty God” are omitted and the words “solemnly, sincerely and truthfully affirm” are substituted.