‘Yoruba nation cannot be carved out of Nigeria’

A socio-political group, the Yoruba Appraisal Forum (YAF) warned yesterday against an alleged plan by some bodies in the Southwest to split the region from Nigeria. The YAF, which staged a rally in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, accused “some disgruntled elements” of being behind the alleged plot. The president of a major social-political group […]

A socio-political group, the Yoruba Appraisal Forum (YAF) warned yesterday against an alleged plan by some bodies in the Southwest to split the region from Nigeria.

The YAF, which staged a rally in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, accused “some disgruntled elements” of being behind the alleged plot.

The president of a major social-political group in the Southwest, the Yoruba World Congress (YWC), Banji Akintoye, had a few months ago announced that the Yoruba nation had been accepted as the 45th member of the global Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO).

But the YAF, in its interpretation of the development, bemoaned it at yesterday’s rally, insisting that the Yoruba nation cannot be carved out of Nigeria, saying such an action could plunge Nigeria into chaos.

The group submitted a letter to the Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, and some top traditional rulers in the state to underline its position.

The YAF spokesman, Ojo Oloketuyi, condemning the agitation for secession, told journalists at the rally, “We are standing for Nigeria, we are standing for unity, we are standing for one Nigeria, the Yoruba nation cannot be carved out of Nigeria.

“We, as a Yoruba forum, are saying No. Everybody must be carried along if anything like that has to be done. For now, we don’t need secession. The Southwest is one of the major ethnic groups in Nigeria and we don’t want trouble, we don’t want war,” Ojo said.

Gov Abiodun, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Shuab Salisu Afolabi, sued for the peace, unity and development of the region.

Abiodun said, “The Yoruba people fought dearly for the independence of Nigeria. The prayer of our founding fathers is for the progress and development of the Southwest region and Nigeria at large.”