Yoruba Appraisal Forum condemns alleged secession plan by YWC
The Yoruba Appraisal Forum, a socio-cultural group in the South-West, on Tuesday in Ibadan, Oyo State, embarked on a peaceful protest match against the agenda of some elders to lead the agitation for the secession of Yoruba nation from the rest of the country.
The YAF expressed its reservations saying the members are against any call that is capable of drifting the Yoruba nation and the entire country into war zone noting that “we should not promote any idea that would breed unhealthy rivalry among the federating units.”
The protesters, mostly youths, carried placards bearing different inscriptions. The banners had captions such as ‘Together we stand and love one another,’ ‘Believe in one Nigeria, ‘Together we stand, divided we fall,’ ‘In one Nigeria we stand,’ ‘We are for unity, don’t beat the drum of war,’ and ‘What we need is development, not secession.’
At the Oyo State Secretariat, the aggrieved group presented a letter dated September 1, titled, ‘Please, save Yorubaland from imminent doom!’ signed by Adeshina Animashaun, its National Coordinator, to Governor Seyi Makinde.
The letter read in parts, “Your Excellency, a motley of crowd of discontents, zealots have lately increased the tempo of their unpatriotic activities masquerading as championing the cause of the Yoruba people of the South-West. Their activities, at best, qualify for nothing good.
“The Yoruba Appraisal Forum is by this statement giving a notice that we, as responsible Yoruba, will not fold our arms and watch a few disgruntled and self-serving individuals to turn our land into a wartorn zone like Somalia and Sudan. If it ever becomes imperative for Yorubaland to break away from the rest of Nigeria, it should be a collective decision of all Yoruba people within Nigeria and in the Diaspora.
“The recent activities of the Yoruba World Congress and its cohots underscore the need for government and security agencies to be more informed about the decisive tendencies of these groups.
Their spokesman, Ojo Oloketuyi, said the idea of federating is rooted in the desire for the various units to stand in unity, work together and succeed together as one nation. The vision of our funding father is lofty and should not be compromised. Those who are muting the idea of dividing this country are rooting for selfish interest. This cannot stand, many of these people have sent their children abroad but they want us to stay back and fight. This cannot work.
“We are here today to express our agitation because some people are canvassing for secession of Yoruba from Nigeria. We tried to find out whether our traditional rulers are privy to the idea but they said they are not in support. What is the use? Our leaders and representatives are not carried along. It is a selfish.
“We don’t want war and crisis. We want job creation, we want infrastructural provision. We are against those calling for dissolution. Some of those agitating for secession have their children abroad.”
Abiodun Yussuf, a member of the group, said the youth are not ready to allow themselves to be used as tools for pressing home selfish agenda by some elements.
In his address to the forum, Mr Sunday Odukoya, Special Adviser to Governor Makinde on Security, said, “We have received your letter. We shall deliver your message to the governor. Now that you have expressed your reservations, we assure you that we shall address the matter.”
