An Egba leader and father of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Alani Bankole, has warned coronet Obas under the Egba Traditional Council in Ogun State to stop harbouring kidnappers in their domains.
Bankole spoke on Saturday shortly after his installation as the Apena of Egbaland at the palace of the Alake and paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo.
Alani Bankole was installed as the fifth Apena of Egba, a position he described as a dream come true.
In his inaugural address, the new Apena decried the spate of insecurity in Egbaland, most especially kidnapping incidents.
He noted that it is suicidal for any traditional ruler to allow kidnappers to operate freely within his territory.
“It’s suicidal for any Oba to allow kidnappers in their area. From now on, you have to be very careful. If I have my way and Kabiyesi allows me, any Oba who allows kidnappers to operate in his area will be arrested because you know about them.
“There is no way you cannot know about people living in your area,” he said.
The Apena called on the traditional rulers to be ready to work with the Alake, a retired military officer, in order to get rid of criminals from Egbaland.
He also tasked the youths to wake up and sustain the records of the Egbas in leadership positions.
“To you Egba youths, it is time to go to work. Gone were the days that we claimed that the best lawyer was from Egbaland, the President from Egbaland, the Speaker from Egbaland. What are we doing to keep such records going? So, the youths, let’s wake up and make sure we keep the flag flying,” Bankole said.
He promised Alake his loyalty and commitment to the development of Egbaland.
Dignitaries at the occasion include former Ogun State governor and Senator representing Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, his predecessor, Chief Segun Osoba, Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole and the immediate past High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Sarafa Ishola.
