- calls for collective efforts against insecurity
By John Dike, Osogbo
Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, has charged Osun State’s new police boss, CP Ibrahim Umar Zungura, to make peace and security his top priorities as he assumes leadership of the state police command.
He gave the charge on Thursday when he received Zungura during a courtesy visit to his palace in Ile-Ife.
The royal father stressed that maintaining peace in the state would require sustained cooperation among the police, traditional rulers, community leaders, civil society organisations and other relevant stakeholders.
He noted that security agencies could not effectively combat insecurity without the cooperation and support of communities, urging the new police commissioner to establish strong relationships with responsible community leaders across the state.
The Ooni’s position was contained in a statement issued by the Senior Media Officer to the Ooni, Sodiq Lawal, on behalf of the Director of Media and Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Otunba Moses Olafare.
Welcoming the new police commissioner, the Ooni commended him for making the palace one of his early stops after assuming office, describing the visit as an indication of his willingness to work closely with traditional institutions.
He acknowledged the security pressures that had confronted Osun in recent months, particularly during the period before and after the 2026 governorship election, as well as the transition in the leadership of the state police command.
But he noted that the state is gradually returning to normalcy after the tensions associated with the election and subsequent change of police leadership.
“I want to thank you for your strong will and energy to come and pay homage ever since you resumed in Osun. We know that things are just calming down in Osun, from election to changing the CP, and handing over, trying to douse the tension, pre-election and post-election. You have been busy. We want to thank you,” the Ooni said.
He emphasised that peace is fundamental to development, stressing that no meaningful progress could take place in an atmosphere of insecurity and instability.
“We are just for peace and nothing but peace. We want good structure. Whenever there is peace, there will be development,” he said.
The Ooni urged CP Zungura to cultivate close relationships with community leaders and other responsible stakeholders, saying traditional institutions could serve as important partners in the fight against crime and insecurity.
According to him, communities possess valuable information about local developments and individuals, which could assist security agencies in preventing crimes and resolving security challenges.
“The truth be told, in every community, we have the good and the bad. If you work with them, they will lead you to the right path and they will let your work be so easy,” the monarch said.
He assured the new commissioner that the Ooni’s Palace would remain open to him and the police command whenever support or collaboration was required to promote peace and security.
“This is your palace. Feel free to come at any time. Both Ife and Kano, they are home for you,” he told the police commissioner.
The monarch also used the occasion to reaffirm the historic relationship between Ile-Ife and Kano, noting that the bond between the two traditional institutions had remained strong over the years.
“There is a strong bond between my ancestors and the Emirate of Kano, and I want to tell you it is getting stronger till date. Nothing can stop it; we will definitely continue with it,” he said.
Earlier, CP Ibrahim Umar Zungura, who is the 29th Commissioner of Police in Osun State, expressed appreciation to the Ooni for receiving him and explained that his visit was influenced by the longstanding historical relationship between Kano and Ile-Ife.
The Kano-born police officer said he grew up hearing about the Ooni of Ife and subsequently learnt more about the historical relationship between the Kano Emirate and the Ooni’s Palace.
“I grew up in Kano knowing about Ooni of Ife. When I grew up further, I realised that there is a bold relationship between the Kano Palace and Ooni of Ife Palace,” Zungura said.
The commissioner explained that he considered the visit important because he wanted to receive the monarch’s blessings and prayers as he begins his assignment in Osun.
“I am here to come to your palace for your blessings and prayer. I believe the first royal father to visit is the Ooni of Ife. And from here, I can be proud to be a Commissioner of Police in Osun State,” he said.
Zungura further described himself as a son of the palace by virtue of the historical relationship between Kano and Ile-Ife.
“Now that I am here in the palace, by extension, I am the son of this palace. I can stretch my hand and leg that I am the son and indigene of this palace,” he added.
The commissioner also acknowledged the support and cooperation that the Ooni has consistently extended to police officers serving in the Ile-Ife axis.
According to him, police officers within the district had briefed him about the monarch’s assistance to the command and his willingness to support security personnel in the discharge of their duties.
“My men, the police officers within your district, told me the kind assistance and support you always give to them, and I am here before you to submit myself as a subject of this palace and as a son,” he said.
The meeting provided an opportunity for the monarch and the police chief to reaffirm the importance of traditional institutions in security administration and community policing.
With CP Zungura now settling into his new assignment, stakeholders are watchimg how the new police leadership addresses security challenges across Osun, particularly through closer engagement with traditional rulers, community leaders and residents.
The Ooni’s call for collective action also underscores the growing emphasis on collaboration between formal security institutions and traditional structures in preventing crime, maintaining public order and strengthening peace across the state.
The visit ended with an assurance of continued partnership between the Ooni’s Palace and the Osun State Police Command in the collective interest of residents and the wider state.
