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I hope this kidnapping of the Oyo State pupils and teachers will spur the South West Governor’s Forum to turn Amotekun into a fully-fledged regional police force that will serve as a nationwide template

Ayo Akinfe

[1] With Nigerians calling for state police forces as the centralised Nigeria Police Force is hopelessly overwhelmed by the current insecurity epidemic, Amotekun is looking like the best template to use to combat this kidnapping epidemic. Rather than state police forces, I think we should go for regional ones, controlled by Nigeria’s six geo-political zones

[2] We need to put several safeguards in place to prevent the Amotekun Corps and other sister regional bodies from becoming a band of thugs, political hoodlums, an ethnic militia or an uncontrollable congregation of hooligans. Over the coming weeks, a Nigerian Regional Policing Bill 2026 needs to be sent to the National Assembly on this matter

[3] First and foremost, Amotekun must be under the authority of the geo-political zone. It can only be deployed if a minimum of four state governors sign a deployment order. Across the southwest, the governors should create a holding company called the Amotekun Security Authority, which controls the entire operation

[4] Funding is also going to be key, so a commercial masterplan to make the project and self-sustainable is compulsory. In the southwest geo-political zone for instance, what I would do is clear 10,000 square kilometre of land in Irepo, Olorunsogo, Orelope and Ori Ire local government areas of Oyo State extending into Ejigbo, Ola Oluwa, Iwo, Orolu and Odo Otin local government areas of Osun State. There, the governors should open a leopard colony which I will call Amotekunville. They should then import 200 leopards from DR Congo and open Nigeria’s first big cat sanctuary. Getting the project going will involve resettling villagers as happened when we built Kainji Dam in 1964

[5] Then the governors should also import about 5,000 impala antelopes so the leopards have a food source. The idea is to make the sanctuary self-sustaining so animals can feed as if they are in the wild. By 2027, I will look to include zebras, buffaloes, wild boars and baboons to Amotekunville

[6] By 2027 I would also start the construction of 500 tourists cabins, three hotels, a nature trail, restaurants, etc to facilitate the growth of an unprecedented tourist industry. The whole idea is to make Amotekunville self-sustaining to the point whereby it can fund the Amotekun Corps without government intervention. My plan is that by December 2027, a bustling tourist industry is up and thriving

[7] I expect the governors to also invite textile manufacturers to open a clothing factory in somewhere like Ijebu Ode to make Amotekun attires from A*o oke, adire, ankara, guinea brocade, etc. These clothing companies will produce designer agbadas, head ties, laptop cases, IPad covers, etc. This fashion industry should aim to meet about one third of Amotekun’s operating costs

[8] A keyring and other memorabilia factory will be opened in say Akure with a mandate to produce as many mementos as possible. They will churn out Amotekun mugs, T-shirts, pens, rulers, baseball caps, trainers, etc. Annually, this factory should be generating at least $50m

[9] This Amotekun Security Authority should then sell Amotekun rights to food producers so they start producing Amotekun Ikokore, Amotekun Gbegiri, Amotekun Asun, Amotekun Lafun, Amotekun Gari, Amotekun Elubo, Amotekun Jollof Rice, Amotekun Ogi, etc. Over the next five years, the holding company should also open an Amotekun Electronics Company in say Epe. This will manufacture finished household goods like fridges, TV sets, laptops, washing machines, etc. The idea is for it to become the local equivalent of Phillips

[10] Over the next five years, the Amotekun Security Authority should also build an Amotekun cocoa grinding plant, sawmill and palm oil processing plant at Ore. Given Ore’s location on the Sagamu-Benin Expressway, it is well located to ship these goods to the rest of the country. A regional railway link will be built, linking all five southwest states together. A dedicated line will then be constructed linking them with Abuja

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www.ayoakinfe.com

*Pragmatic Diplomacy: A Memoir of *Ambassador Anderson N. Madubike* is his personal account of diplomacy in practice, based on his career as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.

What the book is all about:

*1. “Pragmatism over theory”*
Madubike argues for diplomacy that gets results, not just protocol. The title itself signals his approach: practical, problem-solving diplomacy focused on national interest, economic engagement, and citizen welfare. He draws from Satow/Morgenthau ideas of diplomacy but pushes beyond them to what actually works on the ground.

*2. Economic & Diaspora diplomacy*
A big theme is using diplomatic posts to open doors for trade, investment, and Nigerians abroad. From his memoirs/scorecard he highlights:
- Leading Nigeria’s delegation at events like the _Nigerian Business Mission 2022_ in Australia to attract investors in agriculture, mining/METS, energy, and tech
- Working with the Solid Minerals Ministry to pitch Nigeria’s lithium, gold, barite, etc. to Australian investors
- Supporting Nigerian students in Australia - he visited James Cook University Brisbane to meet students/alumni and push 1:1 support + partnerships with Abia State
- Engaging with CoNAPA - the peak body for Nigerian Australians - to foster unity and growth of the diaspora

*3. Post-COVID diplomacy*
He started his tour of duty in Canberra on 19 May 2022, right in the middle of COVID-19 disruptions. The memoir discusses how “pragmatic diplomacy” had to adapt when economies and public life were overwhelmed, especially for developing nations.

*4. Personal reflections + statecraft*
Like most memoirs, it mixes his personal journey with lessons from high-level negotiations, presenting credentials to Fiji’s President, supporting the Super Falcons at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia, and representing Nigeria at investment forums.

*Core message*: Diplomacy shouldn’t just be speeches and ceremonies. Madubike’s “pragmatic” lens = using the embassy as a bridge for business deals, scholarships, diaspora support, and projecting Nigeria’s human + natural resources to be a world leader.

He calls Nigeria “The Golden Fish” - a metaphor he uses to show Nigeria’s untapped potential that pragmatic diplomacy must unlock.