(By Alhaji Issah Olubi, Proprietor of Nuru Baya’an School and Al Manar College, Ondo. Date: May 28, 2025)
What should have been a joyful celebration turned into a nightmare in Ondo Kingdom. On Tuesday, May 27, 2025—Children’s Day, a date recognized globally to honour and celebrate the future generation—our peace was shattered by terror.
Disturbing reports suggest that cult groups chose this symbolic day to strike, spreading fear, disrupting calm, and endangering lives across our kingdom. This cowardly act is not only tragic but also a grave insult to the values we hold dear.
Worse still, it signals a growing crisis: the rise of cultism and drug abuse in Ondo Kingdom.
A Wake-Up Call for Action
Despite the presence of the Area Command Office in the heart of our kingdom, these criminals continue to act with boldness and impunity. This raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of our current security framework.
Let it be known: Ondo Kingdom is not helpless.
We have correctional facilities in Surulere and Okuudu capable of housing offenders for years—if not for life. It’s time we begin to fully utilize these resources to protect our people and restore order.
What Must Be Done – Now
To reclaim the soul of our land, we must act decisively and immediately:
- Shut down all drug distribution outlets and bring their operators to justice.
- Investigate and arrest transporters, enablers, and cultivators of illegal substances.
- Sanction hospitals, clinics, and annexes that treat injured cult members without reporting them to the authorities.
- Pursue and prosecute native doctors, false prophets, and extremist clerics who spiritually empower or shield these criminals.
A United Front for a Safer Tomorrow
We call on the Nigeria Police Force, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and all peace-loving citizens to rise in unity. This is a battle for the soul of Ondo Kingdom—a battle we must not lose.
This message is not a challenge to the esteemed Osemawe-in-Council, but rather a heartfelt and urgent appeal from the people—citizens who desire nothing more than to live peacefully, work honestly, and raise their children without fear.
The Time for Talk is Over
We must move from words to action. Ondo Kingdom must stand tall again—free from fear, free from violence, free from drugs and cultism.
Let us restore the safety, dignity, and prosperity our people deserve.
#EndCultismNow
#CleanOndoNow
#SecureTheFuture