* Demands stiff penalties for perpetrators, sponsors
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere, has condemned the invasion of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Ibadan, on Saturday by the Yoruba nation agitators.
This is contained in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the body, Jare Ajayi, in Abuja on Sunday.
Afenifere stated that those who carried out the action did not act in the interest of the Yorubas whom they claimed to be representing.
Some people, who claimed to be Yoruba nation agitators stormed the premises of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Agodi Secretariat, Ibadan, regarded as the political capital of Yorubaland, on Saturday, April 13, 2024.
The invaders had, in a video clip, claimed that a purported ‘Democratic Republic of the Yoruba’ had been created out of Nigeria.
But Afenifere, in its statement, stated that there is no such thing as Democratic Republic of the Yoruba and demanded the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators and their sponsors.
Part of the statement read: “Yoruba is an important component of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. And as is well-known, there cannot be a sovereign republic within an extant sovereign republic.
“At the moment, Yoruba are indigenous in Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo States and in parts of Kwara, Kogi, Delta and Edo State of Nigeria, just as they are found in some other parts of the world.
“Ajayi conceded that there is a lot of dysfunctionalities in the way Nigeria was being run. This has not just begun though as it is a cumulative thing inherited from previous administrations.
“Solutions to the shortcomings do not lie in violent divisions. Rather, what we should strive for is how the perceived wrongs in the country can be made right.
“Afenifere is of the strong view that President Bola Tinubu administration is taking steps to rejig Nigeria in a manner that would make the country become one that every citizen would be proud of soonest.
“Restructuring the country is a sure way of accelerating this.
“Afenifere strongly believes that when restructuring is effected with constituent entities allowed to be in control of their own affairs, Nigeria will become beneficial to everyone.
“This is why we are relentless in our agitation for restructuring.”
Afenifere added that the manner by which the agitators embarked on their misconceived mission clearly indicated that they did not apply sense whatsoever.
According to the statement, “How can a person or group of persons think that invading a state House of Assembly is tantamount to the creation of a Federal Republic?
“Genuine Yoruba normally think things through before they take actions, especially a fundamental action such as forming or declaring a nation.
“The Yoruba don’t act that way. Rather, they apply wisdom and intellectualism in major steps they want to take. They apply tact.
“They demonstrate finesse and shun violence as much as possible. Examples of this attitude abound – going by their reactions to some major issues that occurred in the country in recent times.
“Afenifere calls for a thorough investigation of the incident with a view to ensuring that perpetrators and those behind the scheme face the wrath of the law maximally so as to serve as a deterrence to others.”
