The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has urged the people of Ile-Ife and its environs in Osun, to maintain peaceful coexistence as the nation celebrate Democracy Day on June 12.
Ooni, represented by the Obalufe of Ifeland, Oba Idowu Adediwura, gave the advice at a peaceful meeting with security agencies in Ifeland on Friday at High Chiefs Court in Ooni’s Palace.
According to Wikipaedia, Democracy Day is June 12, a national public holiday in Nigeria. … These were done to commemorate the democratic election of MKO Abiola on June 12
It was ajudged to be the Nigeria’s freest and fairest elections, but was, however, cancelled by the President Ibrahim Babangida-led military administration.
Ogunwusi said a lot had been heard that June 12 would be bloody, adding that to this end, we don’t want untoward things to happen to anybody.
“We implore parents to warm their children not to cause crisis, because security agencies are more than prepared to deal decisively with anybody that plans to disrupt the peace we are enjoying in Ifeland,” he said.
Also, the Lowa Adimula of Ifeland, Oba Adekola Adeyeye, advised that all compound meetings slated for tomorrow should be put on hold until next week Saturday.
Adeyeye appealed to youths not to use June 12 to protest in any form that would lead to the killing of people and the destruction of property.
He said people should give peace a chance, adding, “war is not a bread and butter that people should rejoice in, one only know the beginning of the war, but cannot predict the end’’.
The Lowa Adimula also implored the people to support the peaceful agenda of Ooni and eschew all forms of criminality that could disrupt the peaceful atmosphere of the citizens before, during and after June 12.
Adeyeye, therefore, warned everyone not to go to the mining sites on June 12.
Speaking on behalf of other tribes living in Ile-Ife, Alhaji Isiaka Lawal, the Seriki Hausawa, assured the elders that his people would embrace peace.
Also, Chief Ezekiel Onyejekwe, EzeNdigbo of Ifeland, said that there would be no crisis in Ifeland, pledging that from his own end, there would be no killing nor destruction of property.
Onyejekwe assured the traditional rulers that his people would remain law abiding.
In the same vein, CSP Ogbonnu Taiwo, the Divisional Police Officer, ‘C’ Division, Aganhun, Ile-Ife, said that security personnel were fully on guard and would not fold their hands and allows anybody to engage in any form of criminality.
Taiwo said that his men were combat-ready to deal with anyone that wants to cause crisis in Ife and its environs.
The DPO, however, called on parents and guidance to monitor the movement of their children and wards.
“The order given to us is not to shoot on sight, but to face anybody that misbehaved, either to destroy police station, bank, prisons or any government property, whosoever tries it would have himself or herself to blame,” he said.
The President of Ife Development Board, Mr Lawrence Awowoyin, appealed to all and sundry to take to all precautions. (NAN)
