Olu of Warri calls on Nigeria’s armed forces to partner with traditional rulers, stressing that values, not weapons, are key to lasting peace
Speaking at the final training exercise Haske Biyu 2025 for senior officers at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State, on Wednesday, the monarch argued that insecurity cannot be defeated with firepower alone.
“Our nation’s greatest battle is not against bullets and bombs but against moral decay, broken homes, and eroding cultural values,” he declared in a lecture titled Strengthening Family Values as a Force for National Security: The Role of Traditional Institutions.
The monarch emphasised that the foundations of discipline, order, and moral clarity—once rooted in family and tradition—have collapsed, leaving a vacuum that insecurity exploits. “Weapons may silence enemies, but only values can rebuild nations,” he said.
Recalling his own upbringing, the Olu said two of his uncles, Squadron Leader Adebayo Shaw and Colonel Kolawole Shaw, instilled in him discipline, punctuality, honesty, and courage—traits he described as the military’s greatest gift to society.
He noted that although he once aspired to join the Navy, his late father, Ogiame Atuwatse II, persuaded him otherwise, reminding him that “many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
The monarch lamented that traditional rulers, while often relied upon to mediate conflicts and provide intelligence, are too frequently sidelined by the state.
He argued that Nigeria’s government must give monarchs constitutional recognition and resources to strengthen their roles as custodians of values and mediators of peace.
“In a nation where people still identify first with their roots, rulers set the tone. When we embody integrity and discipline, our people follow,” he said, warning that insecurity thrives where family discipline collapses and community cohesion fades.
He further urged officers to balance firmness with empathy, stating: “Not just the rod but also the rice—plain, jollof, fried, or even Chinese. A balance of correction and care makes change sustainable.”
Concluding, the Olu called for synergy between the armed forces and traditional institutions, stressing: “The values we uphold today will determine the strength of our nation tomorrow. Traditional institutions will endure—not by resisting change, but by preparing the future.”
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