Chief Ifatoyin Adeyeye, the Araba-Ogboni of Osi-Ekiti, has stated that returning to traditional Yoruba spiritual/ ancestral beliefs and practices is the key to addressing the rising tide of banditry and kidnapping in Southwest Nigeria.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Wednesday, Chief Adeyeye urged Yoruba elders and traditional priests (Babalawos) to adopt their ancestral heritage and spiritual powers to protect the land, arguing that current security challenges are “self-inflicted” due to the adoption of foreign cultures.

While commending President Bola Tinubu’s policies, he identified insecurity as a major hurdle. He called for unity among traditional priests and synergy between groups like Agbekoya, OPC, and national security agencies.

Describing the spate of insecurity in the country as worsening and disturbing, the priest suggested that returning to the powers of “our” forefathers were enough to protect the Yoruba land and in extension the entire nation.

He noted that the insecurity bedeviling the nation was self-inflicted; adding that Yoruba land had traded its ancestral powers for foreign culture and beliefs that were not working for the land.

“We must return to the powers as of old, bring back our ancestral powers that our forefathers were using to protect the land and its people before the import of foreign cultures.

“Our ancestors stood for justice, peace, and communal harmony; hence it was not possible for bandits, kidnappers, and all criminal elements to operate in Yoruba land.

“We must invoke those powers at this critical time. We must rise against banditry and kidnapping. Our people deserve to live in peace and move freely without fear.

“Bring together our priests (Babalawos) to chase bandits, kidnappers, and all criminal elements out of Yoruba land. The time to invoke those values is now.

”It is time for all traditional priests in Yoruba land to come together and rise against the menace of banditry and kidnapping,” he said.

The Ibadan-based priest, while commending President Bola Tinubu on his several policies to make Nigeria great, identified insecurity as a major challenge confronting his government.

“The issue of insecurity is a small issue if only we can return to the days of old when our forefathers were at the forefront championing insecurity, but unfortunately, we have traded our rights for the foreign culture and that is why these problems are confronting us.

He called for synergy and cooperation between the Agbekoya and OPC in Yoruba land and the national security agencies in tackling security challenges in Yoruba land in particular and the nation at large.(NAN)