It’s Not Too Late To Save Nigeria From Boko Haram, Bandits-Oyinlola

The former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has expressed the conviction that it is not too late to pull Nigeria back from the brink and save the country from Boko Haram, banditry and the myriads of other security problems that are threatening its corporate existence.

He spoke on Wednesday in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, at a conference on “Security and Insecurity: Role of the Traditional Institution,” organised by the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU).

Oyinlola, who is the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the CBCIU, lamented the present precarious security situation in the country, saying the country had almost become the modern version of the Hobbesian state “where life is nasty, brutish and short.”

He, however, expressed confidence in the ability of traditional rulers to inspire the restoration of the country to the path of peace, growth and development, given their history and reputation as effective intelligence and security officers in their respective domains.

He explained that the focus of the conference on security vis-a-vis the role of traditional rulers was informed by “the time-tested truth that at all times when things threaten to fall apart for our nation, the lot always fall on our fathers to do the pull-back from the brink.”

The CBCIU, he said, “feels that this is the time to harness the intelligence-gathering and conflict-resolution abilities of our monarchs for the safety of Nigerians and the stability of Nigeria.”