Gov Aiyedatiwa charges traditional rulers on security, settler profiling

By Precious Oluwole

Ondo State Governor, Dr Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has tasked traditional rulers across the state to intensify community security efforts by properly profiling settlers and monitoring land allocations to prevent criminal infiltration at the grassroots.

The governor gave the charge on Tuesday in Akure while receiving the Okiribiti of Sabomi Community in Ese-Odo Local Government Area, His Royal Majesty, Oba Felix Adeyemi Koledoye (Okoro I), who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House.

Governor Aiyedatiwa described traditional rulers as critical partners in security architecture, noting that their permanent presence and deep knowledge of their communities placed them in a strategic position to provide early warning signals and intelligence on suspicious movements.

According to the governor, effective profiling of individuals seeking land or settlement in communities would help curb criminal activities, adding that traditional institutions must work closely with security agencies to sustain peace and order.

He said monarchs remained the “eyes of government” at the grassroots, stressing that unlike political appointees with limited tenures, traditional rulers preside over their domains for life and play enduring roles in conflict resolution, land administration, and community stability.

The governor noted that some traditional rulers in the state had been appointed as Justices of the Peace to legally resolve minor disputes, a move he said had strengthened peace and reduced pressure on conventional courts.

He disclosed that his administration had improved the welfare of traditional rulers through enhanced statutory allocations via local governments, as well as the provision of official vehicles to monarchs across the state to enable them function more effectively.

He stressed that the intervention was extended to all traditional rulers without discrimination.

Reflecting on the installation of Oba Koledoye, the governor recalled that legal challenges had delayed the presentation of the monarch’s instrument of appointment and staff of office, noting that his administration respected the rule of law until the injunction was lifted.

He added that the eventual presentation of the staff of office in Sabomi reaffirmed the government’s commitment to due process and respect for traditional institutions.

The governor further assured the Sabomi community of the state government’s commitment to their development, disclosing that the Sabomi–Igbotu Road project had been approved and that contractors would soon mobilise to site.

In his remarks, Oba Koledoye thanked the governor for his support throughout the process of his emergence and installation as Okiribiti, noting that the backing began during Aiyedatiwa’s tenure as Deputy Governor.

The monarch said the approval of key road projects, including a one-kilometre township road and the Irele–Sabomi–Igbotu Road, would enhance security, improve access, and stimulate economic activities in the riverine community.

He appealed for greater inclusion of Sabomi indigenes in civil service employment and political appointments, noting that many qualified youths remained unemployed despite their capacity to contribute to governance and community security.

Oba Koledoye also called for the recognition of senior indigenes for Permanent Secretary positions and urged broader political representation for the community.

He further raised concerns over the menace of water hyacinth in local waterways, calling on the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) to urgently intervene to protect livelihoods, transportation, and public health.

The monarch pledged the continued support of the Sabomi community for the Aiyedatiwa administration and offered prayers for divine guidance, protection, and wisdom for the governor.

In attendance were; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti; Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa; Head of Service, Mr Bayo Philip; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Amidu Takuro; Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Mr Segun Omoyofunmi; member representing Ese-Odo Constituency in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Primate Messiah Allen; and Director-General of OSRC Media Group, Mr Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson.