By Justice Nwafor
An organization championing the self-determination of the Yoruba nation, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, has described as false and unfounded allegations that it is stockpiling weapons and planning to disrupt the forthcoming general election in the country.
The organization announced this in a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesperson, Omo Oba Kunle Adelakun, on behalf of its leader, Prof Banji Akintoye.
“We stand here today to reject entirely the allegations being leveled against the Yoruba people and most especially the Yoruba Nation by the Nigeria Police helmsman, Inspector General Usman Alkali Baba. The allegations are that we Yoruba people and Yoruba Nation are stockpiling weapons and planning to create chaos and social unrest at the forthcoming general election slated for February 25, 2023,” the statement read.
It explained further that “these allegations are disgusting, unfounded, and a full-fledged absurdity,” noting that it is bewildering to have such allegations leveled at Yoruba people, whom the organization described as naturally peace-loving.
“In a nutshell, there is no iota of truth on the perception or submission of IGP Usman Alkali Baba towards Yoruba people or nation”, it emphasised.
“We want to believe that Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba needs to be tutored historically. Perhaps this would make him have an unsentimental understanding and clear judgment about the Yoruba people. If we are to look into those who are behind the artificial crisis being inflicted on Nigerians daily, most especially the insecurity (Boko Haram, ISIS) and destruction of farmlands, kidnappings for ransom, and invasions of Yoruba land, the South East, and the Middle Belt regions by Fulani herders/land grabbers, it is the federal government that must be queried and answers demanded from, not the Yoruba people or nation.
“Yoruba people or nation are only exercising their indigenous rights to advocate for and canvass for their sovereign nation, an act that is protected under the United Nations and African charters. The right to self-determination is never against Nigerian or international laws.
“Meanwhile, recent events have also proven that the federal government inflicted or has a hand in the crisis presently engulfing the entire country. The poor and majority of Nigerians are continuing to suffer without halt for a reason best known to the ruling class.
“On these points, we have seen and are still witnessing the scarcity of fuel, most especially in southern Nigeria. The Central Bank of Nigeria’s policy on the Naira redesign is not helping the already tense environment and the nation’s economy,” the release read.
