By Femi Ogunshola
“We cancelled the Journey, kidnappers and bandits have taken over”
That was the response I got when on Wednesday I asked how preparations were going for a trip to the centenary celebration of the Catholic Church in the village.
The reply was disturbing: We have cancelled it. Bandits have taken over the entire local governments in Kwara South.”
Another worried voice came from Ibadan about Isanlu Isin, where a 90-year-old mother of my friend may soon be relocated to Ilorin because her family fears for her safety.
Then, from the United States of America, came another call: “Hope you know the head of the Fulani in Illofa was kidnapped and murdered by bandits? Yet no one is speaking about it.”
These are not rumours. They are the new, dangerous reality of Kwara South.
Each time I read the harrowing reports both online and offline about the insecurity ravaging my once safe, peaceful, and tranquil homeland, I feel a sharp pain in my soul.
This was a region known for serenity, for calm, for hospitality. Today, it is almost unrecognisable. The carnage that has taken over our communities feels like a nightmare we are yet to wake up from.
Not long ago, I praised Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq’s daring move that crushed over 200 bandits in Babanla, Ifelodun Local Government. It was a masterstroke, a scene that could rival an American action movie.
But bandits are proving stubborn, regrouping and striking harder.
This war cannot be left to the Governor alone. The people of Kwara South must now rise to defend their homeland.
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Our revered Obas and chiefs cannot stand aloof while their thrones become empty symbols. They must unite, rise above personal differences, and lead the creation of coordinated, uniformed vigilante groups across all Local Governments in the region.
With a shared identity of a uniform operating with an identify code, these vigilantes can collaborate, protect borders, and restore peace in our towns and villages.
Security costs money. Salaries, equipment, motorcycles, buses, communication gadgets, and logistics cannot appear out of thin air.
This is the time for Kwara South’s illustrious sons and daughters to step up. Highly placed figures and wealthy individuals from the region must take the lead.
Town unions and development associations both at home and in the diaspora must also rally around this cause.
Accountability can be guaranteed if credible individuals of proven integrity are appointed to oversee funds.
The marauders killing our people and defiling our land are not invincible. What they fear most is a united people.
We cannot sit akimbo while bandits turn Kwara South into a wasteland. The government cannot do everything. This battle is for every son and daughter of Kwara South.
If we fail to act, we risk losing not only our land but our very heritage. If we rise now, we can drive back the darkness.
The question is simple: Shall Kwara South watch in silence or rise in stout defence of its future?
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