Thread by @oloye__, If you don't know of what to make of the discussion around [...]

If you don't know of what to make of the discussion around Seyi Makinde v Sunday Igboho v Herdsmen in forrest.

Here's my biased opinion.

Biased because I'm a Seyi Makinde supporter and also a full blooded Ibadan man.

My people are proud. They are a proud people. You can figure out that much from our ancestral panegyric. Google "Oriki Ibadan."

The public perception is that Fulani herdsmen are using the forrest as kidnap hideout spot. This is not limited to Oyo State, in most Southern states,

the state authorities are on high alert as it is believed kidnappers are hiding out in these forrests and creating a sort of underground railroad for kidnapping activities. I don't mean underground literally.

State authorities in many states have chosen different strategies to

curb this menace. As far as Enugu, they have instituted a Forrest Guard to counter this impending and some will say already growing menace. Akeredolu has made news for the same reason. His state v alleged fulani kidnappers.

So it is not limited to Oyo, but it is different in Oyo

It is different because we are a proud people. Till now, the going narrative is that Akala was not voted into Senate because of "how he talked." Not because his performance was bad as state governor. So you see, we are a proud people. Why am I making this important distinction?

In every polity, they have their own characteristic. Ours happens to be pride. So when we hear some Fulani herdsmen are "allegedly" kidnapping and killing our people, our first response is "let's us go and fight."

"Ija Igboro larun Ibadan."

So as far as the topic is concerned, Sunday Igboho is a very popular man in Ibadan right now. He's the people's defender. He's acting out the thought of many people in Oyo. That's the option the average Ibadan man will take. So he has a lot of people that agree with him on the

matter.

This puts the state governor is a precarious position.

He has two options which both have consequences:

1. He can let Sunday Igboho go and fight and support him covertly. We have already seen how that turned out in Benue. It is the people that end up suffering.

It is believe that the herdsmen have a hired militia who come and fight their battles. In many state where people like Sunday Igboho have started the fight, the hired militia branch of the Fulani herdsmen have come in and caused more carnage. So we can agree that to an extent,

this will portend more danger for the people of Oyo State.

As such, it is difficult for the state gov to sign off on such action which has the possibility to spill over into a bigger security problem.

His second option I believe is what he has taken: Not allow it.

And again, this makes him a very unpopular man in the Ibadan/Oyo court of public opinion.

If these people carry out more criminal activities which they are suspected to be carrying out, the blame will fall on the governor.

"He is letting the Fulani kill his people by not

allowing Sunday Igboho to go and drive them away."

"It is his fault."

This will be the rhetoric.

But also, letting Sunday Igboho carry on with this plan and creating a bigger security problem has a visible result as seen in places like Benue and Zamfara.

So if you were Seyi Makinde, what will you do?

I believe this is one of the reasons why the state government pushed Amotekun through and wrote them into law. This way, the state can control the menace but not in a way that exposes the people to more harm. In a lawful way.

I believe this is the best approach everything else considered.

There's also the political angle.

The FG tried its best to stop Amotekun from being created saying it is solely responsible for security (we have seen how that has worked out) and ever since, they have used

every way to attempt to de-legitimize the security outfit including sponsoring sensationalized and misdirecting headlines about the security outfit in sponsored newspapers.

Also their are local politicians who are afraid of Seyi's rising goodwill amongst the people.

Sunday Igboho is alleged to work for one of such. So if he's able to create a security problem for Oyo state, then they can take that and use it as a talking point for the next election to nip Seyi's popularity in the bud.

It is impossible to cover every angle but looking at

the factors involved.

I believe the best path is the one the governor has taken.

I hope and pray Amotekun are effective against these alleged criminals.

Because it doesn't matter how good he is, if Oyo people are convinced that he's not acting in their best interest by

not allowing Sunday Igboho to go "drive them away."

Then it may be the one failure that's fatal for his government.

May God give him wisdom at this time and may the peace continue to reign in Oyo state.

Oloye writing to you from the #CouncilofChiefs

Correction*

When I referred to the governor that wasn't voted into senate. I said Akala.

I meant Ajimobi.

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