Yoruba groups call for unity to achieve self-determination

By Ogundele Olanrewaju

The Amalgamation of Yoruba groups has called for peace among themselves and to speak in one voice to achieve the self-determination agenda.

The call was made during 135th Anniversary of Kiriji peace treaty, which was known as Ekiti-Parapo war, which was held at the house of chiefs, state Secretariat, Ibadan, Oyo state.

While speaking with newsmen, the chairman of Afenifere renewal group, Comrade Olawale Osun said that the obligation of the Yoruba assembly is to educate the southwestern part of Nigeria to stand up to the inactivities and the inaction issues preventing the development of the southwestern part of Nigeria.

He explained the obligation of the Yoruba assembly ” To educate our people to stand up to the inactivities to the inaction we can see, as we can see from the VAT issue that they are so many step to take, that can even be taken administratively even if Nigeria state is refusing to restructure, that we can continue to take the issues one by one and demolish them that will continue to remind ourselves of this”.

In his address the chairman of Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS), Prof. Banji akintoye, who is ably represented by Dr. Tunde Hamzat, called for regional referendum to be conducted and further advised the southwestern part of Nigeria to dwell unity inoder to achieve the self determination agenda.

Professor Banji akintoye further agitated for “We want a regional referendum to conducted”.

He further described the 1999 Nigeria Constitution as “fraudulent” which cannot take the unity of Nigeria to the promise land.

” You can only restructure a structure, even when you want to restructure, you want Nigeria to be re- invented , Nigeria is re-invented but it has to be renegotiated”.

Professor Banji akintoye called on the federal government to summon all the regional leaders in the country to roundtable to renegotiate the structure of the country”.

“Let us come to the roundtable to renegotiate”.

In his remark, the Director general of the Developmental Agenda for Western Nigeria, Comrade Seye oyeleye admonished the youth to ensure they collect their personal voters card to actively engage in the coming election and ensure they are not use by the politicians as political thugs.

He advised the youth to ” Let me re-emphasize to the youth that as we are moving to the electioneering period, I admonish the youth to collect their PVC to actively engage in that process during the election and ensure they are not use as political thug.

The Kiriji War which was known as Ekiti-Parapo war was one of the world longest Inter- ethnic war, it was a 16 year- long civil war between the Yoruba people.

The war which was specifically between the western Yoruba, which was mainly Ibadan and Ijebu people and the Eastern Yoruba who were the Ekiti people and the Ijesha.