The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has said Nigeria’s greatest battle is not fought with weapons but against the erosion of family values and moral discipline. He stated this on Wednesday while delivering a lecture at the ongoing final training exercise, Haske Biyu 2025, for senior officers of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, Kaduna.
Speaking on the theme “Strengthening Family Values as a Force for National Security: The Role of Traditional Institutions,” the monarch warned that insecurity thrives where homes and communities fail to instill discipline, order, and moral clarity. He argued that even the military’s lasting impact lies more in the values it upholds than in firepower.
Atuwatse III lamented that traditional rulers, despite being custodians of moral authority, are often sidelined by government, even as they are expected to gather intelligence and mediate conflicts. He urged greater recognition of traditional institutions, stressing that peace will remain elusive unless families, communities, and rulers partner with the military to restore discipline, trust, and integrity.
