Oba Peter Ogungbesan, the Baale of Ora Kingdom in Eredo Local Council Development Area, near Epe, Lagos, has urged the Lagos State Government to boost surveillance in the area.
Ogungbesan told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Monday in Epe that such surveillance would also help in curbing kidnapping and other unscrupulous attitudes in the area.
“I thought that the issue of kidnapping, cultism, violence and other acts had been things of the past in the community; not until recently, a man was kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Itokin area.
“This is not a welcome development. This kind of attitude should stop in Epe division and government should find a lasting solution to it.
“Although, government is doing its best to sanitise the division from all forms of criminality but government cannot do it alone. It requires people and other stakeholders’ participation and involvement.
“I urge all relevant stakeholders to support the government to combat criminality in the area.
“The local vigilance groups should work collectively with government security agencies to fight ungodly acts,’’ he said.
The monarch urged youths to embrace and uphold their indigenous culture to save the culture from extinction.
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“There is nothing like our own culture. We need to appreciate and embrace it and desist from imbibing Western cultures.
“Yoruba has interesting culture when compared with other tribes in the world.
“In Yoruba culture, we learn how to greet and respect our elders. We learn traditions that will make us unique and stand out among other tribes in the world.
“All tribes have their own cultural values but Yoruba culture is indeed the most respectable one, as its uniqueness is second to none.
“Therefore, I implore our parents to inculcate the teaching and preaching of our culture into our children to save it from extinction,’’ Ogungbesan said.
The monarch appreciated all friends, families, visitors, sons and daughters that attended the just-concluded Ora Day.
“I so much appreciate everybody that was present on Ora Day and I do hope we meet again in large numbers in the next edition,’’ he said.
He commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State for his satisfactory job in the area of infrastructure in Epe and beyond.
“I do hope the incoming Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu will do better.
“This is a government of continuity. I believe all the abandoned projects in Epe division shall be completed by this incoming administration,’’ Ogungbesan said. (NAN)
