The Oodua Peoples Congress, New Era, has condemned the ultimatum given by the Arewa Youth Assembly for the Yoruba people living in the North to vacate the zone.
The OPC New Era spoke on Sunday through its national Public Relations Officer, Adesina Akinpelu, in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The release by the OPC described the statement by the Arewa Youth Assembly as careless, stating that against the release, Hausas were never known to be enemies to Yoruba people despite their differences.
The statement read in parts, “The statement credited to one Mohammed Salihu Danlami, Speaker, Arewa Youth Assembly is uncalled for. It is very unfortunate that some Hausas have refused to accept the reality that Fulanis are the major problem bedevilling Nigeria as a nation.
“Fulanis have virtually hijacked everything from us even Hausas always play the second fiddle. The Arewa Youth group should go back to history and check how the two tribes have worked together.”
The statement read that the OPC had no grouse against the Hausas but would not relent in its demand that criminal elements should exit Yorubaland.
“In as much as we want independence, Yorubas are not against other tribes who are law abiding or those doing legitimate businesses in Yoruba land. We will not support anybody or group that tries to instigate Yoruba people against the law abiding people of other tribes. No people or nation exists in isolation.
The Fulanis had tormented and seen to the collapse of Yoruba empires until the united Yoruba forces sent them back. We must come together to speak against our oppressors who are operating as if they are above the law of the land.”
