JUST IN: We Are Going Back to Our Ancestral Roots, Whatever We Can Use to Protect Ourselves– Ooni of Ife
JUST IN: We Are Going Back to Our Ancestral Roots, Whatever We Can Use to Protect Ourselves– Ooni of Ife
The Ooni of Ife has expressed deep concern about the rising insecurity in different parts of Nigeria, especially with reports suggesting that violent groups may be slowly moving toward the southern region.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, he explained that traditional leaders are not ignoring these warnings. Instead, they are taking steps to strengthen security within their communities.
According to him, traditional institutions have always played an important role in protecting the people, long before modern policing systems existed. He said that those roots are now being revisited. Local guards, hunters, and forest watchers are being organized and empowered so they can help keep various communities safe.
These groups understand the environment better than anyone else, and they have generations of experience in tracking movements, monitoring forests, and responding quickly when threats arise.
The Ooni noted that the government is working more closely with these traditional security structures. Forest guards have been reactivated and given responsibilities that match their strengths.
Local hunters are also receiving more attention because of their knowledge of the land. By combining modern security measures with traditional methods, he believes the region will be in a stronger position to stop criminals before they gain ground.
He emphasized that returning to ancestral knowledge does not mean abandoning progress. Instead, it means using every available resource to protect lives.
In his words, “We’re going back to our ancestral roots. Whatever we can use to protect ourselves, we have already come together to know that this is the way forward.”
