Uniting to Fight Insecurity in Yorubaland

We are writing at a crucial time for Yorubaland and Nigeria as a whole. All over Nigeria, people face many problems that create uncertainty about the future. Economic challenges are putting pressure on families and businesses. Trust in public institutions is low, and security issues have become a major worry in daily life. While these problems affect the whole country, the situation in Yorubaland needs special attention because of its impact on social stability, economic growth, culture, and democracy.

This letter is not about blaming anyone or pushing political agendas. Instead, we want to highlight a serious issue and encourage everyone to work together to tackle the challenges we face. Security troubles in Yorubaland have reached a point where staying silent, being complacent, or acting alone is no longer enough. We need a united and ongoing effort using all the moral, political, economic, and cultural resources we have in the region.

History shows that societies are judged not just by the crises they face but by how they respond to those crises. Times of uncertainty often show the strength or weakness of our public institutions, the resilience of our communities, and the ability of leaders to prioritize the common good. The current situation is a test for us. It calls for thoughtful leadership, principled actions, and a renewed commitment to the values that have always guided the Yoruba people.

Today, there is a clear agreement that insecurity is one of the biggest challenges facing communities in Yorubaland. Reports of kidnappings, violent attacks, and threats to farmers have become all too common. What used to seem like a distant issue is now something many communities deal with regularly, affecting both urban and rural areas and causing widespread fear among the people.

The effects of these problems go far beyond the immediate victims of violence. Farmers struggle to reach their lands, which affects food production and rural economies. Trade relies on safe movement of people and goods, but increasing fears about safety disrupt this. Families must make tough choices about education, travel, and investment amid uncertainty. In many places, the psychological impact of insecurity is just as serious as the physical dangers.

Particularly concerning is the growing risk to groups that society should protect the most. Attacks on schoolchildren, students, educators, and everyday citizens for kidnapping and extortion are not just criminal acts; they threaten our social order. A recent kidnapping in Oyo State, though resolved with the victims' release, showed how fragile public confidence has become and highlighted how insecurity threatens institutions vital for social progress. Such events leave lasting psychological scars on victims, their families, and their communities. They add to the heavy burden already felt by people struggling due to economic policies that have worsened poverty and increased inequality.

The combined impact of these challenges is a slow loss of trust in our institutions to provide security and protect rights. If we do not address this, it could have serious effects on governance, economic growth, social unity, and democracy.

Another issue is the lack of a coordinated response to our growing security problems. Historically, Yorubaland has played a unique role in Nigeria’s civic and political life. The region is known for lively public discussions, intellectual engagement, and active civic efforts. People and institutions have always voiced their concerns about issues affecting our collective welfare.

In critical moments in Nigeria's history, traditional leaders, labor groups, professionals, religious organizations, student movements, market groups, academics, and civil society have influenced public discussions and policies. Their efforts were not always the same or successful, but they showed a shared belief that public matters are too important to leave solely to governments.

In light of this history, the current quietness amid the security crisis is hard to miss. While some individuals have spoken out and taken action, the region has not seen the level of coordinated civic engagement that the situation calls for. This isn’t meant to criticize any specific group or leader. It is an invitation to reflect on whether the structures and traditions that once mobilized effective civic action have weakened and what we can do to revive them.

As the Omo Oduduwa Collective, we believe the silence in the face of serious danger is largely driven by politics. We see a scenario where many stakeholders, for personal or tribal reasons, choose to ignore the dangers we face together due to political considerations. This approach is short-sighted and ultimately harmful.

A healthy society relies not just on effective government but also on active civic institutions. In fact, a government’s effectiveness often depends on how well civic institutions act as watchdogs, critics, and policy influencers. So, where insecurity is an issue and public concern is rising, institutions with moral authority and social influence have a duty to join public discussions, advocate for solutions, and maintain democratic accountability.

This responsibility becomes even more important as citizens look to trusted institutions for guidance and leadership. Keeping a Yoruba-led government accountable and working with it to tackle urgent issues is not an attack. It is a sacred duty to protect our community.

Ignoring the current security crisis can have long-term consequences. Ongoing insecurity hinders economic growth by deterring investment, disrupting business, and raising costs. It harms education when learning environments feel unsafe. It worsens rural decline when farming communities face threats of displacement and crime. Most importantly, it damages social trust and weakens the relationship between citizens and public institutions.

History teaches us that societies do not decline overnight. Usually, it happens slowly as people adjust to conditions that would once have seemed unacceptable. Communities cope with insecurity, people lower their expectations of public institutions, and extraordinary events become normal. The real danger is not just the immediate harm from crime but also the risk that society becomes used to living with it.

Because this danger exists, we need a more deliberate and coordinated response. The challenge for Yorubaland is not just to deal with individual security incidents. It is how to stop a culture of resignation where fear becomes normal and public safety expectations drop.

Addressing the current challenge requires recognizing that the government exists primarily to ensure the people's security. But this does not mean that safety is only the job of security agencies. Effective responses happen when governments, traditional institutions, civil society organizations, professional bodies, religious groups, educational institutions, and citizens work together with shared responsibilities and accountability.

Therefore, we propose urgently holding a Yoruba Security and Civic Renewal Summit. This summit should bring together governors, traditional leaders, lawmakers, security experts, academics, labor leaders, business executives, youth groups, women’s organizations, and civil society representatives. The goal of this summit should not be just ceremonial or politically motivated. It should be a platform for creating practical strategies for regional security cooperation, improving intelligence-sharing, building community resilience, enhancing coordination with security agencies, and encouraging ongoing civic engagement on public safety issues.

Without predicting the specific outcomes of this summit, we hope it leads to establishing a standing consultative body on regional security, including traditional leaders, professionals, labor groups, women, and youth. We also hope for coordinated advocacy efforts that hold governments accountable for their constitutional responsibilities.

We also want it to inspire our universities, research institutions, and intellectuals to provide evidence-based policy recommendations that everyone, regardless of political views, will actively pursue. In this context, our governors and lawmakers are crucial, not just for making the summit's outcomes law but also for ensuring they are effectively implemented to improve accountability and security governance.

Yorubaland has great human resources, strong cultural traditions, active institutions, and a long history of civic involvement. These strengths provide a solid basis for a strong response to the current challenge. What we need now is not panic or blame, but uncomfortable truths, leadership, coordination, and renewed commitment to the common good. The security of our communities, the well-being of families, the future of our youth, and the prosperity of the region are all more important than political divisions or cycles. They require serious collaboration and commitment.

This moment calls on all of us to act with vision, courage, and responsibility. Future generations will not only look at the challenges we faced but also how we responded to them. We hope this period will be remembered as a time when the people of Yorubaland chose to engage rather than ignore, cooperate instead of fragment, and take purposeful action instead of remaining silent.

Signed
Professor Akinyemi Onigbinde (Convener)
Senator Babafemi Ojudu
Barrister Dele Farotimi
Dr Adeolu Oyekan
Dr Olasunkanmi Olapeju
Mr Kazeem Olasupo
Mr Samuel Arinloye
Barr Kayode Okenla
For: Omo Oduduwa Collective