AKINWALE ABOLUWADE
The Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, umbrella body of the Yoruba self determination groups, has advised the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to make recourse to history about the Yoruba people rather than forming cheap and unfounded opinions about them.
The body spoke in a statement made available to journalists on Sunday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital by Prince Kunle Adelakun (Eruobodo), on behalf of Prof. Banji Akintoye, its Supreme Leader.
The statement read that “Ilana Omo Oodua, a Yoruba Nation self determination organization under the leadership of Emeritus Prof. Adebanji Akintoye, is unambiguously committed to Yoruba self determination struggle for the liberation of Yoruba people from the British/Nigeria forced marriage of the 1914 amalgamation and the fraudulent 1999 Constitution of Nigeria being imposed on Yoruba people and the rest of the South.
“Over the years, we have been resilient but civil in our approach while, at the same time, observing diplomatic mechanisms in line with the international laws and extant domestic laws.
“Yoruba is a peaceful nation with progressive tendencies, unity of purpose and dedicated leadership. Our culture is very accommodating and without ethnic colourations or sentiments. We stand here today to reject entirely the allegations being leveled against the Yoruba people by the Nigeria police helmsman – Inspector General Usman Alkali Baba.
“The allegations that we, Yoruba people, are stockpiling weapons and planning to create chaos and social unrest during the Nigeria’s forthcoming general election slated for 25th February 2023 is false and unfounded. The allegations are absurd as the Yoruba people are naturally known to be peace loving. We traditionally employ civil, diplomatic and non violent approaches in settling conflict.
“There is no iota of truth in the submission of IGP Usman Alkali Baba towards the Yoruba people. The international community knows very well that Yoruba people are matured politically and would not result to carrying arms or engage in violence in settling political disputes.
“Historically, we displayed the non violent culture during the 1967-1979 Civil War. We displayed technical intelligence and God given wisdom to quell the Nigeria civil war. It is on record that but for the Yoruba people who paid their dues during the war, Nigeria would have been drifted into the abyss of history.
“IGP Alkali Baba needs to be tutored historically. Perhaps, this would make him have an unsentimental understanding and clear judgment about Yoruba people. If we are to look into those who are behind the artificial crisis being inflicted on Nigerians (insecurity fueled by Boko Haram/ISIS) and the destruction of farmlands, kidnappings for ransoms, invasions of Yoruba land, South East and middle belt regions, the Federal Government must give us answers not the Yoruba people.
“The Yoruba people are exercising rights to advocate and canvass for sovereignty, an act which is protected under the United Nation and African charters. The right for self determination is never against Nigeria or international laws.”
