How the First Asiwaju of Ijesaland Turned Growing Security Concerns into a Collective Action Plan
Security does not begin when criminals strike. It begins when responsible leaders recognise danger early enough to mobilise the people, institutions and authorities capable of preventing it.
This principle was demonstrated by Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi, the first Asiwaju of Ijesaland, in September 2021 when he mobilised traditional rulers, community leaders, government and security agencies to confront growing security concerns in parts of Ijesaland.
The intervention became one of the milestones in his 10-year stewardship, reflecting his philosophy that the security of a community cannot be left to government and security agencies alone; it requires collective vigilance and responsibility.
SEEING THE DANGER BEFORE IT BECAME A CRISIS
In 2021, Fasuyi raised concerns over emerging security threats around Idominasi in Obokun Local Government Area, as well as other gateways into Ijesaland.
He drew attention to what he described as the occupation of strategic entry points by questionable elements, identifying the Osu-Ibodi axis, Idominasi-Iponda and Ibala, among others, as areas requiring greater vigilance.
His concern was not based merely on an isolated incident. It was informed by the broader security tension across Nigeria at the time and the potential implications for communities in Ijesaland.
Rather than wait for insecurity to escalate, Fasuyi called on traditional rulers, political leaders, parents, community organisations, Ijesa youth groups and individuals to remain vigilant and collaborate with security agencies through timely information sharing.
His message was simple but profound:
“A stitch in time saves nine.”
FROM CONCERN TO CONVENING
Fasuyi did not stop at issuing a public warning.
On September 13, 2021, he convened a strategic security stakeholders’ meeting at Ibokun, the headquarters of Obokun Local Government Area, under the theme:
“A Call for Collective Vigilance and Communal Security in Ijesaland.”
The meeting brought together the traditional rulers in Obokun, the Local Government Chairman, heads of security agencies and other critical stakeholders.
The discussion was subsequently extended to leading chiefs from Idominasi, the community at the centre of the security concerns.
This was significant.
Fasuyi recognised that no single institution possessed all the information, authority or capacity required to secure the communities. The traditional institution had grassroots legitimacy; community leaders understood local realities; government had administrative authority; while security agencies possessed formal security responsibilities.
His role was therefore to bring these different strengths around the same table.
FROM DISCUSSION TO CLEAR RESPONSIBILITIES
The meeting did not end as another gathering where concerns were discussed and forgotten.
According to the account of the intervention, roles and responsibilities were clearly assigned among the traditional rulers, Local Government, security agencies, communities and Idominasi community.
Each party undertook to play its defined role within an agreed timeline.
Fasuyi subsequently reported that the meeting produced outcomes considered adequate to address the fears that had generated the intervention.
He also commended the traditional rulers for their collective resolve to champion the implementation of the agreed strategies.
This was an important feature of the intervention: Fasuyi moved the conversation from anxiety to organisation, and from organisation to responsibility.
THE PHILOSOPHY: SECURITY IS EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY
At the heart of the intervention was Fasuyi's conviction that community security must be collective.
He declared:
“The Security of All, is the Responsibility of All.”
That philosophy explains why the intervention went beyond security agencies.
Traditional rulers, community leaders, political authorities, parents, youth organisations, societies and ordinary residents were all called upon to play their part.
The approach recognised that people living within communities are often the first to observe unusual movements, unfamiliar faces and emerging threats. Proper information sharing can therefore provide an important early-warning mechanism for formal security institutions.
LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE
One of the strongest qualities demonstrated by Fasuyi in this milestone was leadership by example.
Rather than merely criticising government or security agencies over insecurity, he personally convened the stakeholders capable of addressing the concern.
He engaged traditional rulers across relevant local government areas and worked to bring the different stakeholders onto one platform.
His intervention showed that leadership, in his conception, meant taking responsibility for problems affecting the people and helping to organise a response.
VISION: ACTING BEFORE THE PROBLEM ESCALATES
The intervention also demonstrated visionary leadership.
Fasuyi's approach was essentially preventive.
He identified a potential security danger around a strategic gateway into Ijesaland and sought intervention before the situation could deteriorate.
The decision to convene stakeholders, share intelligence, establish responsibilities and encourage continuous vigilance reflected an understanding that effective security management requires early warning, preparedness and coordinated response.
COLLABORATION: BRINGING IJESA TOGETHER
Another defining quality was collaborative leadership.
Fasuyi did not attempt to make the intervention a personal project.
Instead, he brought together traditional institutions, government, security agencies and communities.
This was consistent with his wider approach to Ijesa development: identify a challenge, convene the relevant stakeholders and encourage them to take collective ownership of the solution.
The security intervention therefore became more than a meeting. It was an exercise in building a shared security consciousness across Ijesaland.
ACCOUNTABILITY: ASSIGNING RESPONSIBILITY
The intervention also reflected accountability.
Rather than leaving participants with general appeals, responsibilities were shared among the various institutions and communities involved.
Traditional rulers, government, security agencies and community representatives were expected to fulfil specific undertakings.
This approach recognised that collective responsibility becomes meaningful only when individuals and institutions understand what they are expected to do.
STRATEGIC THINKING: THE SECURITY OF IJESALAND AS A SHARED INTEREST
Fasuyi's security intervention also revealed his approach of looking beyond the immediate location of a problem.
Although Idominasi was at the centre of the concern, he viewed the issue within the wider security architecture of Ijesaland.
The reference to other vulnerable gateways demonstrated an understanding that communities cannot be treated as isolated islands when security threats can move across boundaries.
This explains the emphasis on inter-community cooperation, information sharing and collective vigilance.
THE OUTCOME: FROM FEAR TO RESTORED CONFIDENCE
The significance of the September 2021 intervention was ultimately reflected in its outcome.
The collective action that followed the meeting helped address the security concerns that had prompted the mobilisation and eventually restored greater security of lives and property, not only within the immediate Obokun zone but across Ijesaland.
What began as an early warning over developments around Idominasi and other strategic gateways was transformed into a coordinated response involving traditional rulers, communities, government and security agencies.
The intervention therefore demonstrated the value of acting before a security challenge becomes a full-blown crisis.
For the communities affected, the result was not merely another stakeholders' meeting. It was a restoration of confidence and a renewed sense that the safety of the people and their property was a collective responsibility.
A MILESTONE IN 10 YEARS OF STEWARDSHIP
The 2021 Obokun security intervention stands as one of the 25 milestones of Asiwaju Olayinka Fasuyi's 10 years of service as the first Asiwaju of Ijesaland.
It demonstrates a leadership style built not merely around speaking about problems but around identifying emerging threats, convening stakeholders, creating collective ownership and encouraging practical responsibility.
From the growing concerns around Idominasi, Fasuyi saw the need for early action.
He raised the alarm.
He brought the stakeholders together.
He ensured that the conversation involved those closest to the affected communities.
He helped move the response towards defined roles and collective action.
And ultimately, the coordinated intervention contributed to restoring security and confidence in the affected zone and across Ijesaland.
The lasting lesson from the intervention is perhaps contained in his own words:
“The Security of All, is the Responsibility of All.”
For Fasuyi, leadership was therefore not simply about occupying a position.
It was about seeing the danger, sounding the alarm, bringing people together and helping them act before the danger became a disaster.
LEADERSHIP QUALITIES DEMONSTRATED
Leadership by Example — personally initiated and convened the security intervention.
Vision — identified emerging security risks before they escalated.
Strategic Thinking — viewed local security concerns within the wider security architecture of Ijesaland.
Collaboration — brought traditional rulers, government, security agencies and communities together.
Community Ownership — emphasised that residents and community leaders must participate actively in their own security.
Accountability — encouraged defined roles, responsibilities and undertakings among stakeholders.
Proactive Leadership — acted on warning signs rather than waiting for insecurity to become a full-blown crisis.
Collective Leadership — promoted the principle that safeguarding lives and property is a shared responsibility.
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