Yoruba Race United To Assert Its Independence- Sunday Igboho
A Yoruba activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo (also known as Sunday Igboho), has declared that the Yoruba, within and without the country, are strongly united to assert and gain their independence.
He also described the existing relationship among the federating units in the country as marriage of inconvenience, saying that the Yoruba Nation is ready to take back its territory.
Adeyemo said this while speaking at a summit held by the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination, held under the chairmanship of Professor Banji Akintoye at the secretariat of the Egbe Ilana Omo Oduduwa in Ibadan.
He said Nigeria is a good country but its leaders are bad and threatened that after the Ibadan discussion, another meeting would hold and thereafter open borders into the South-West part of the country to allow for easy inflow of foodstuffs and other essentials.
Adeyemo described the insecurity in the land as unbearable, adding that the centre could no longer hold, and therefore the Yoruba people could no longer be under the authorities of the Federal Government.
He said: “We no longer have peace in our home. We have a good country but our leaders are bad. After this discussion, we will hold meeting and open our borders so that rice, food and other things can enter easily.
“Enough is enough. All our borders that the Nigerian government closed, we are telling them we are no longer under them. We will go and open the borders. We are ready for everything they want to do to us. I am speaking on behalf of Yoruba people.”
He said the Yoruba are now united, with the backings of the traditional rulers and challenged any oba that is against the people to publicly express themselves.
“Some people can say that Yorubas are not united, we are united. If you want to know how united we are, touch one of us, you will know that all Yoruba obas are behind us.
“We will fight for our right. Yoruba has a population of 100 million people in the world. This our father [Professor Akintoye] is fighting for the youths. The youths are in support of our father. This is our real father. We pray to God to spare his life so that he can take us out of this useless country.
“This is a country where someone can come to our land to come and kill our brothers and rape our sisters. We don’t have the right to talk. If you talk, they can kill or detain you. Enough is enough.
“There is no security. Starting from now, we don’t want Fulani herdsmen in our land. If we meet any Fulani herder, we are ready. We are taking back our territory. We are ready to face a country that has no mercy for the Yoruba people.
“Yesterday, I saw some young boys without a place to sleep smoking Indian hemp. This country is finished. We don’t fear anybody but we fear only God. Enough is enough, there is no going back.
“Baba (Banji Akintoye) has brought us to a promised land and we are not afraid. In Nigeria, the herders are devastating our land. They milked us and used the proceeds to develop their own area.
“They would rape our women, record it and circulate the video. It is so ridiculous. Speaking on behalf of the youths in Yorubaland, I say that enough is enough.
“Benin Republic is not more than the size of Osun State but there is peace and security there. Our people are now sojourning there as house helps.
“While growing up as a kid, the Ghanians were here doing menial jobs but today, the Yoruba people are slaving in Ghana. And we say there is one Nigeria.
“Power is concentrated in one place while Yoruba people are sidetracked. It is 16 years that Yoruba man was made an Inspector General of Police. No Yoruba man has ever been made a Chief of Army Staff. Hausa/Fulani hold key security positions. They put our man there as vice-oresident, an extra tyre who cannot.
“Our people who delve into politics are playing games and getting contracts. Regarding this meeting, our royal fathers, such as the Ooni and Alaafin, including all Yoruba obas are privy.
“Paradventure any of them wants to disown this gathering, they should come to the open in a video to deny it. Our father, Pa Ayo Adebanjo and the entire Afenifere are aware of what is happening here.
“What we want is independence for the Yoruba Nation from March 17. We have the confidence that nothing untowards would happen to Baba (Akintoye).
“If we hear that a security official manhandled a Yoruba man, it would result into crisis. We want to appeal to our fathers, the farmers should go back to the farm. We shall go round to tell our people to return to the farm and we shall ensure that they are no longer attacked.
“In Yorubaland, it is sad that the Fulani palace is bigger than that of the Yoruba obas. We thank God for the Olubadan of Ibadan for making it clear that the seriki is under the authority of the baale. No Yoruba man can go to the north to perpetrate the kind of havock that the Fulani man is perpetrating in our land.
“We want the United Nations to come and divide the country, otherwise the consequence would be unpredictable. As things stand, we are not under Nigeria. We are are out of bondage and insecurity. Our existence is not a mistake although our choice of leadership is wrong.
“Our ports are headed by Fulani men. We no longer want Fulani men at our ports and borders. We are going to have meeting and free our borders. We are no longer under the Federal Government.
“I am saying this on behalf of the Yoruba youths. If you think that the Yoruba are divided, it is a wrong assumption. Our kings are behind us.
“My advice to our people in the North is that it is time to return home. We are appealing to you, this suffering is too much. Let us unite in pursuit of our vision,” Adeyemo said.
