THE ROYAL HIGHNESS,AWUJALE OF IJEBU LAND RESTATES CALL FOR COMMUNITY POLICE

THE Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, has renewed the call for community policing in Nigeria, saying it has become even more relevant today than ever before in the light of the nation’s recurring security problems.



He made the call on Friday in his palace in Ijebu-Ode while addressing a world press conference on his plan to endow a professorial chair on Governance at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.



Awujale recalled that “in those days” when there were the Nigeria Police, the local government police as well as some regional para-military officers working together to maintain law and order, things were much better.



Today, however, he noted, the federal government-controlled police do not have the required number of personnel to effectively police the country.



“I believe that regardless of whatever number (of personnel) we have in the Nigeria Police, we need this community policing because it is they who will know the criminals around. We need community policing; we know ourselves. That will assist to minimize the incidence of criminality in our society.”




On the objectives behind the professorial chair at OOU, Oba Adetona said that he had been on the throne for a little over 56 years, but that he had noticed that Nigeria had not been making much progress with governance.



“We seem to be going from frying pan to the fire; we’re not making progress at all. Rather than make progress, we are retrogressing in terms of our governance.



“We’re not getting good results; and my idea is that we should get a way of intervening to bring about changes that will affect the governance of this country; so that all future generations will benefit from it, and Nigeria will be a better place for us and our children,” he said.



However, the paramount ruler said that candidates for the chair, which he tentatively values at “half a million naira,” would be sourced both locally and internationally.



“The search will not be limited to Nigeria alone, but “wherever we can get people who can deliver what we want. It is open to everyone, not Nigerians alone. We want the best for the university, and ultimately we want to assist the government of Nigeria,” he added.



On the anti-corruption fight of the present administration, Awujale said he believed that President Muhammadu Buhari is going in the right direction; but he advised those who are prosecuting the crusade to “try and do thorough jobs.