Ooni of Ife urges Yoruba monarchs to fight banditry and kidnappings

Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife, used the finale of the 2026 Ifa Festival to call on traditional rulers across Yorubaland to help curb the rising tide of banditry and kidnapping in Nigeria. He highlighted the role of ancestral values, community structures and traditional institutions, urging monarchs to work closely with security agencies and to assume greater responsibility for protecting their domains.

The Ooni also offered prayers for the safe release of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in recent attacks in Oyo and Borno states, where more than 90 children and several teachers were taken and some killed. He stressed that a united front of traditional leaders, religious figures, community stakeholders and the government is essential to restore peace and security.