There was a mild drama at Imota, Lagos State, on
Wednesday, as some youths smoked a substance suspected to be Indian hemp to
celebrate their cultism renunciation.
The act was observed by our correspondent shortly
after the state Acting Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, addressed the
press in company with the two former leaders of the Eye and Aiye
confraternities.
The renunciation was held at the palace of Ranodu
of Imota, Oba Ajibade Bakare-Agoro, and was presided over by Imohimi, who
displayed guns, cutlasses and axes recovered from the residents.
The youths moved around the community, displaying
banners with the inscriptions, ‘Say no to crime, drug abuse and cultism’ and
‘Say no to crime, rape, stealing and cultism.’
The two groups also chanted their respective
fraternal songs and exchanged occult pleasantries after the renunciation.
Earlier, while speaking to journalists, Imohimi
said the renunciation was the outcome of the state police command’s emphasis on
community policing.
He recalled that a similar event was held at
Ijede, Ikorodu recently, where about 500 persons renounced cultism, urging
other communities in the state to follow suit.
The CP said, “Over 120 youths have voluntarily renounced
cultism and handed over their weapons to the police. The significant thing
about this process is not the number of those renouncing cultism or the
quantity of arms they tendered. What is most significant is that a process has
started, whereby the youths themselves are now indicating interest not only to
renounce cultism and other forms of crime, but also to take up vocational jobs
and be integrated back into the society as responsible men and women. Their
profiles will be taken and rest assured that this process is credible.
“Another thing is that this was powered by the
Oba of Imota, which shows that our strategy of community policing and community
safety partnership is working and yielding desired results. Monarchs, chiefs
and senior citizens of communities have a strong role to play in their various
communities. They should use their positions to call on youths to renounce
cultism, drug abuse and other crimes.”
The ex-leader of the Aye Confraternity, Joseph
Fasasi, said they decided to turn a new leaf following entreaties by the
monarch and other community leaders.
He promised that the two groups would henceforth
maintain peace in the neighbourhood.
He said, “My parents are from this community and
we don’t want fights any more. If we continue to fight, peace will not reign.
Residents are leaving the community. Tenancy is cheap because people are afraid
to live here. That was why we called one another and decided to let peace
reign.”
A former top member of Eye Confraternity, Prince
Bolatito, who spoke for the leader of the group, popularly called Spirit,
said, “We (Eye and Aye members) have started going to pubs together. There is
no more violence. We will hand over whoever refuses to shun violence to the
police.”
The Oba of Imota, Bakare-Agoro, said the youths
swore at an ancestral shrine in the community not to return to their old
habits, adding that whoever failed to keep to the oath would die.
He said, “I feel elated today. There is no year
in the last seven years that they would not kill one another. The police would
come to arrest some of them, but the kingpins would run away. This process (renunciation)
started over a month ago. I consulted with them in privacy in the palace.
“They will not go back to cultism because they
have been to the traditional shrine where the first Oba of Imota once lived. We
asked them to swear that if they returned, they would die within three days. I
have advised them that there is nothing in crime. For all those who are running
around because somebody wants to kill them, if the fight ceases, they will be
able to go back to work and live productively.”
The Chairman, Imota Local Council Development
Area, Wasiu Kunle-Agoro, said the council, the state government and political office
holders from the community would work together to engage the youths in lawful
activities.
He said, “We have made a plan where some of these
members will be absorbed into vocational jobs. We want them to be gainfully
employed so that idle hands will no longer be tolerated. They are tired
of the activities of their groups and came out voluntarily to renounce their
membership.”
A member of the Lagos House of Assembly
representing Ikorodu Constituency II, Nurudeen Solaja, urged the residents to
sustain the friendship shown during the event.
“We have made provisions for vocations such as
computer training for them. Some of them are graduates; we will try as much as
possible to secure jobs for them,” he added.
