By Akanimo Sampson
A Western Nigeria group, Coalition of Yoruba Nationals, has threatened to pull the Yoruba ethnic nationality out of Nigeria, a supposed African giant that has refused to grow up as an all-inclusive country, since according to the group, the country has allegedly slipped into ‘’anarchy’’ and can no longer protect Yoruba interests.
A political song of this nature is not unfamiliar. It dominated the air waves and the entire landscape during chaotic days of the June 12 crisis. And it seems Nigeria is gradually returning to that path with the way some entrenched interests are demeaning Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
As a refresher, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (MKO Abiola), GCFR (August 24, 1937 – July 7, 1998) was a prominent Yoruba businessman, publisher, politician and aristocrat of the Yoruba Egba clan. He was the Aare Ona Kankafo of the Yoruba land. Abiola ran for the presidency in 1993, for which the election results were annulled by the Ibrahim Babangida military dictatorship because of allegations that they were corrupt and unfair.
In a move to settle the undying crisis, Abiola was awarded the GCFR posthumously on June 6, 2018 by President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigeria’s democracy day was changed to June 12.
Abiola was a personal friend of Babangida and he is believed to have supported Babangida’s coming to power. His massive support in the June 1993 presidential election cut across geo-political zones and religious divisions, among a few politicians to accomplish such a spread during his time.
Abiola announced his candidacy for president in February1993, this was after a previous round of presidential primaries had been cancelled by the maradonic Babangida. His party of choice was the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), whose primaries was held in Jos, the Plateau State capital. It was largely a three-way contest between Abiola, Babagana Kingibe and Atiku Abubakar. During the first ballot, Abiola was able to score a slim majority vote of 3,617 to Kingibe’s 3,225. A second round was contested two days later and Abiola again emerged victorious with a slim margin and he became the party’s presidential candidate for the June 12 election.
Abiola’s political message was an optimistic future for Nigeria with slogans such as Farewell to poverty, At last! Our Rays of Hope and the Burden of Schooling. His economic policy included negotiations with foreign creditors and better management of the country’s international debts, in addition, increased cooperation with the foreign community while presenting himself as someone the international community can trust.
Ironically, the Buhari administration that settled the dust of the June 12 crisis is the same administration whose inner functionaries are labouring to take the country back to the inglorious past. Now, the Yoruba group is seeking to align with Biafra, a reference to ongoing secessionist efforts in Eastern Nigeria.
In a statement by Lekan Abayomi, the group listed among its grievances, the attempt by some unnamed persons to “disgrace’’ Vice President Osinbajo, as well as the continued detention of activist Omoyele Sowore by the Department of State Services, despite the fact that a court of competent jurisdiction has ordered his release.
According to the group, “while we have little sympathy for the Yoruba Vice President, a member and promoter of the anarchist and tyrannical terror regime, recently we have watched how among thieves there is no honor and after using this naive Yoruba man who nearly died while running helter-skelter disbursing Tradermoni in what has been called vote-buying to cure their re-election, they are disgracing and dumping him …
“Again as happened with Zakzaky, Dasuki and Nnamdi Kanu, these lawless barbarians with their half-wit Attorney General are standing before the world in contempt of court and refusing without reason to release one of our sons, in person of Crusader Omoyele Sowore, granted bail. They have placed themselves above the law, and have become a law unto themselves.’’
On the allegation that the country has slipped into anarchy under a ‘’Fulani ruling class’’, the Yoruba group cited what they described as the desecration of the ‘’sanctity of the judicial arm’’ of government by the Buhari administration, as well as the government’s policy of pardoning and rehabilitating terrorists who usually are from the northern part of the country, while punishing criminals from elsewhere in the country.
“Again and again the feudal barbarians in charge have desecrated the sanctity of the judicial arm, standing in contempt of court, disregarding pronouncements by our Judges. Repeatedly these anarchists flaunt court orders, rendering our courts useless and there has been no implication and we the Yoruba nation has paused to react.
“Again, without regard for law and order, the feudalists continue to pardon terrorists and killers of their tribe or inkling, granting them amnesty and reward after they kill and rape our people. Yet we paused to react. Whereas when kidnappers like Evans operate in Yoruba, Niger Delta or Igbo land, we arrest them and deal with them according to the law.
“The same is not obtained in the other land where cows rule and killers reign. Give up your ancestral land or be buried under it, they openly threatened us. We have yet remained in bondage to them, fighting to remain ruled by these barbarians. Mad people whose soldiers kill police to free kidnappers,’’ the group said.
Citing Article 1 of the United Nations Charter, which provides for the right of every group to self determination, the group said it therefore seeks a total severance of any further relationship between the Yoruba nation and Nigeria. Declaring alignment with Biafra, the group said it is now committed to a “joint struggle with our southern brothers towards emancipation from the calamity that was Nigeria.’’
They said, “we shall be a part of this madness no more. On this day, September 27, 2019, we the Yoruba nation within the confines of what used to be Nigeria, hereby declare our secession from the contraption that was Nigeria. We no longer remain a part of such a shambolic accursed shipwreck. We announce this day our alignment with Biafra and our commitment to a joint struggle with our southern brothers towards emancipation from the calamity that was Nigeria.’’
They then announced that they have severe ties with Northern Nigeria, for allegedly supporting a lawless leadership in the country and accordingly threatened to liberate the Yoruba from what they described as “this uninvited ma-lunion.’’
