Southwest Insecurity: Why the Federal Government Should Engage the Aare Ona Kakanfo and the OPC Structure in the National Interest

As Nigeria continues to confront growing security challenges across different regions of the country, it has become increasingly important for the Federal Government to explore every lawful and credible avenue that can strengthen intelligence gathering, community policing, and public confidence. In the Southwest, one option deserving serious consideration is greater engagement with the office of the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, currently held by Iba Gani Adams, whose leadership of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has, over the years, established one of the most recognizable grassroots security and socio-cultural networks in the region.

Security experts have consistently maintained that combating insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and organized crime requires more than military deployments. It also demands trusted community networks, local intelligence, and collaboration between government institutions and responsible non-state stakeholders. This is an area where the OPC has built considerable institutional experience over several decades.

The Southwest has witnessed increasing concerns over kidnappings, attacks on farmers, and violent criminal activities. These challenges require innovative partnerships that complement—not replace—the work of Nigeria’s conventional security agencies.

The argument for engaging the Aare Ona Kakanfo is not political. Rather, it is rooted in practicality. Under the leadership of Gani Adams, the OPC has evolved beyond its early activist origins into an organization with an extensive grassroots presence across Yoruba communities. That widespread structure gives it a unique capacity for information gathering, local engagement, and mobilization during periods of insecurity.

Many observers also point to the period during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, when the Federal Government maintained constructive engagement with several regional stakeholders, including leaders of the OPC. During that era, the organization was frequently recognized by supporters for contributing intelligence and assisting in maintaining relative stability in parts of the Southwest through cooperation with lawful authorities.

Today, Nigeria faces a security environment that is significantly more complex. Rather than allowing historical disagreements or political sentiments to stand in the way of collaboration, many believe the overriding priority should be the protection of lives and property.

This conversation inevitably brings comparisons between Aare Gani Adams and Chief Sunday Igboho, two prominent figures who have, at different times, spoken passionately about the security of the Yoruba people. However, any comparison should acknowledge that both individuals emerged under different circumstances and have contributed in different ways to public discourse on regional security.

Gani Adams represents decades of organized activism and institution-building. Beyond his role as Aare Ona Kakanfo, he leads an established organization with defined leadership structures, state coordinators, local chapters, and longstanding operational experience in community mobilization. His involvement in Yoruba advocacy spans several decades, providing continuity, organizational memory, and relationships with traditional rulers, community leaders, and various institutions.

Sunday Igboho, on the other hand, rose to national prominence primarily through his outspoken campaign against criminality affecting parts of the Southwest. His activism resonated strongly with many Nigerians who were frustrated by worsening insecurity, and his public advocacy brought significant national attention to the plight of affected communities. His influence has largely been driven by his personal visibility and grassroots popularity.

These distinctions should not be viewed as a measure of one individual being superior to the other. Rather, they illustrate two different models of leadership. One is centered on an established organizational structure developed over many years, while the other is driven largely by individual advocacy and public mobilization.

From a policy standpoint, governments often achieve greater long-term coordination when working with institutions that possess formal leadership systems, established communication channels, and clearly defined organizational hierarchies. Such structures can facilitate accountability, coordination, and sustained collaboration.

The office of the Aare Ona Kakanfo itself carries significant historical and cultural importance within Yorubaland. While it is fundamentally a traditional title, its occupant often commands moral influence across many communities. Constructive engagement with that office, alongside traditional rulers, governors, community leaders, youth organizations, and existing security agencies, could strengthen efforts to address emerging threats in the Southwest.

Ultimately, national security should never become a victim of political divisions or historical differences. Every credible stakeholder committed to peace deserves a seat at the table where solutions are being developed.

Nigeria has repeatedly demonstrated that inclusive security strategies often produce better outcomes than isolated approaches. Building partnerships with respected regional institutions, while ensuring that all activities remain within the framework of the Constitution and under the coordination of lawful security agencies, could enhance intelligence gathering, improve public trust, and contribute to lasting peace.

The safety of Nigerians must remain the highest priority. If experienced community-based organizations possess structures capable of supporting lawful security efforts, then national interest demands that such opportunities be carefully considered.

As insecurity continues to evolve, the Federal Government may find that strengthening cooperation with established grassroots institutions—including the leadership represented by the Aare Ona Kakanfo—could become one more valuable component in the broader effort to secure lives, protect communities, and preserve the unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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EDITORIAL: Southwest Insecurity Demands Unity, Not Ego—Why Abuja Should Engage the Aare Ona Kakanfo

Security has never respected political affiliations, ethnic sentiments, or personal differences. It strikes where vulnerabilities exist, leaving ordinary citizens to bear the consequences. As Nigeria continues to battle kidnapping, violent crime, and emerging security threats in the Southwest, the time has come for the Federal Government to broaden its approach by engaging every credible stakeholder capable of contributing to peace and stability.

Among those stakeholders is the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams.

This is not a call for politics. Neither is it an endorsement of any individual above Nigeria’s security institutions. It is a call for pragmatism. When lives are at stake, governments must be willing to work with experienced community-based organizations that possess deep local knowledge, trusted grassroots networks, and established leadership structures.

For decades, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) has built an extensive organizational presence across Yorubaland. Regardless of differing opinions about its history, few would dispute that the organization has maintained a broad grassroots structure extending across communities in the Southwest and beyond. That network represents something every modern security strategy depends upon: local intelligence, community trust, and rapid information flow.

History also provides a useful lesson. During the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, the Federal Government engaged with various regional stakeholders in addressing security concerns. Supporters of the OPC frequently point to that period as one in which the organization played a constructive role in complementing lawful security efforts in parts of the Southwest. Whether through intelligence sharing, community mobilization, or collaboration with authorities, the experience demonstrated that structured community organizations can contribute positively when operating within the law.

Today’s security landscape is even more challenging. Criminal networks have become increasingly sophisticated, often exploiting forests, rural communities, and porous borders. Conventional security agencies continue to carry the primary constitutional responsibility for protecting Nigerians, but they cannot work in isolation. Success increasingly depends on effective cooperation with state governments, traditional institutions, community leaders, and organized civil society.

This is precisely why the office of the Aare Ona Kakanfo deserves thoughtful engagement.

Some will inevitably compare Aare Gani Adams with Chief Sunday Igboho, as both have become influential voices on matters affecting the security of the Yoruba people. Such comparisons, however, should be made carefully and fairly.

Both men have contributed to conversations about regional security, but they represent different forms of leadership.

Gani Adams has spent decades building institutions, leading organized advocacy, and overseeing an established movement with identifiable leadership structures, state coordinators, local chapters, and long-standing relationships within Yoruba communities. His influence is closely tied to organizational continuity and structured activism.

Sunday Igboho, meanwhile, emerged as a powerful grassroots voice whose outspoken campaign against insecurity resonated with many Nigerians frustrated by attacks on farming communities and rural residents. His prominence reflects the impact of personal advocacy and public mobilization during a period of heightened insecurity.

Neither model should be dismissed. Each reflects a different pathway to public influence. However, governments seeking sustained collaboration often find it easier to coordinate with organizations that possess formal structures, defined leadership, and institutional accountability. That distinction is one of organizational capacity—not personal worth.

Nigeria’s security crisis requires less division and more collaboration. Sentiments, historical disagreements, and political calculations should never outweigh the responsibility to protect citizens. Every lawful institution capable of contributing to intelligence gathering, community engagement, and crime prevention deserves consideration.

Constructive engagement with the Aare Ona Kakanfo and the OPC should not be viewed as replacing the Armed Forces, the Police, the Department of State Services, or other statutory security agencies. Rather, it should be understood as strengthening the broader security architecture through structured community partnerships operating within constitutional and legal frameworks.

The Federal Government has repeatedly emphasized the importance of community policing and intelligence-led security. Those objectives cannot be fully realized without trusted local partners. If an established organization already possesses extensive grassroots networks and decades of community engagement, it is reasonable to examine how those strengths can support national security objectives.

The safety of Nigerians must remain the supreme priority. Security challenges do not distinguish between political supporters and opponents, between North and South, or between government officials and ordinary citizens. Every Nigerian deserves the right to live without fear.

Abuja should therefore rise above sentiment and embrace a practical, inclusive strategy that harnesses the experience of credible stakeholders committed to peace. Engaging the Aare Ona Kakanfo and other respected regional institutions would not be an act of political concession; it would be an act of responsible governance.

When lives are at risk, wisdom lies not in asking who deserves recognition, but in asking who can help secure the nation. That is the conversation Nigeria should be having today.

If intended for newspaper publication, this editorial is best presented on the Editorial/Opinion page to clearly distinguish it from straight news reporting.