The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, has warned that Nigeria’s quest to reduce food import dependence and stabilise food prices will remain unattainable unless the government adopts a decisive and coordinated approach to tackling insecurity across the country.
The monarch stated this on Friday at the ancient Oyo Palace during an interfaith prayer service, where he identified insecurity as the greatest threat to agricultural production and food security in rural communities.
According to a statement issued by his Director of Media and Publicity, Bode Durojaiye, the Alaafin said farmers across the country continue to face daunting security challenges that hinder food production despite various government agricultural interventions.
“No matter the agricultural policies announced by the authorities, the reality in rural communities remains that insecurity has become the single greatest threat to food production,” the monarch said.
He noted that farmers should not be forced to negotiate access to their farmlands with armed criminals, stressing that such a situation undermines national food security efforts.
“A nation where food producers in the rural communities must negotiate access to their fields with armed bandits cannot claim to be mindful of food security,” he added.
Oba Owoade described the protection of lives and property as the foundation of any prosperous society, noting that security remains essential for economic growth, human rights protection and social stability.
“Security is a sine qua non for societal progress. A secure environment encourages inter-communal collaboration and shared national identity,” he said.
The traditional ruler further observed that kidnapping, banditry and other forms of rural insecurity have continued to disrupt farming activities, weaken local economies and worsen food inflation.
“Kidnapping and rural insecurity severely cripple agricultural productivity by displacing rural farmers from their lands, disrupting local supply chains, and draining household incomes to pay ransoms.
“These threats escalate food inflation, collapse rural credit systems, and lead to widespread food scarcity in affected communities. Farmers are often forced to liquidate their assets, livestock, and capital to pay ransoms, leaving them with no funds to purchase seeds, fertilizers, or equipment,” he said.
He added that insecurity has continued to cripple local commerce and agricultural activities in many parts of the country.
“The implication of all these is that insecurity in the country severely restricts local commerce, causing a devastating collapse of rural supply chains and agriculture, as armed bandits force farmers to abandon farmlands, resulting in massive food shortages and localised inflation,” he said.
Speaking on the significance of the interfaith prayer session, the Alaafin said prayer remained a vital tool for fostering peace, unity and understanding among citizens, particularly during periods of national challenges.
He stated, “Only a higher power can soften hardened hearts, turning enemies toward dialogue and mutual respect. Peace is more than the absence of war; it is a state of stability and well-being.
“Prayer invites God’s presence to establish justice, which is a biblical prerequisite for lasting peace. While unity is essential for communities and the nation to thrive.”
The monarch also stressed that collective prayers help bridge ethnic, religious and cultural divides by promoting a shared sense of humanity and common purpose.
In her remarks, the Queen Consort, Abiwunmi Owoade, called for sustained love, harmony and prayers among residents, saying communal development could only thrive in an atmosphere of peace and unity.
Other dignitaries at the event included the Chief Imam of Oyo, Alhaji Bilaal Akinola; the Oyo State Commander of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Mr Sunday Olamide; Islamic scholar, Sheikh Daud Ogun; representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Oyo Zone; community leaders and traditional rulers.
Concerns over insecurity and its impact on food production have continued to dominate national discourse, with farmers in several parts of the country repeatedly reporting attacks, kidnappings and destruction of farmlands by criminal elements.