A socio-cultural organization, Yoruba Commitment Forum has berated Second Republic Politician and elder-stateman, Ambassador Tanko Yakassai for his comments on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as well as the agitators of Yoruba nation.
The full text of the Press statement is highlighted below:
LET YORUBA BREATH
The recent bullying and subtle threat issued to the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed forces of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by an elder statesman, Ambassador Tanko Yakassai has caught the attention of the Yoruba Commitment Forum and we need to appeal to the old man to take it easy on Yoruba matters. By our upbringing as Yoruba, we defer to age and tradition so much that ordinarily, we wouldn’t have loved to join issues with him but for the fact that Alhaji Yakassai has been around for so long and he knows so much, we would respectfully wish to ask him some questions begging for answers.
- Was the North NOT the first to say that it was not interested in independence or being part of Nigeria? Didn’t the North call for ARABA later in the 60s?
- In the Nigerian state, aren’t there diverse tribes and peoples plagued with religious, tribal and ancestral crisis?
- Has there been unity in diversity where a section of the country seeks to overrun the other to dip the Koran into the Lagoon boasting of being born to rule always?
And the other time sir,did your boys NOT confirm to us that Nigeria is their inheritance gifted them by Uthman Dan Fodio their grand-father? Did they not invite their brothers all over the world to come over and invade Nigeria for them?
- Is there any justice, equity and fairness in a section (North ) of Nigeria always making requests, getting more than required only to always block other sections from making requests at all?
- Can call for a peaceful separation be equated with violent exit.Is peaceful separation not possible ? Is it about war?
- Did USA not separate from Britain? Belgium from Netherlands, Singapore from Malaysia, Pakistan from India and many more of such separations without war? Back home in Africa, didn’t Sudan break into North and South Sudan in recent history? Our neighbours and brothers, Ghanaians even changed their colonial name of Gold Coast to Ghana for identification. What’s the fear, anxiety, fuss and mistrust about? Can’t there be free choice, freedom of association? Is it by force that we must be held together and by the jugular?
- Baba Yakassai, are you happy with the multifaceted problems facing Nigeria leading to deaths and anguish of your children? Is this your dream for Nigeria Sir?
- What harm do you foresee in Yorubaland separating peacefully from a non-productive and choking relationship in NIGERIA. Upon separation, will you NOT be the first elder to thank the younger generation for the mutual trust, harmony, peace and progress brought about in the separated sections for the benefits of all sir?
Finally, we firmly believe that civil and peaceful separation in Nigeria is a panacea to the many ills bedeviling this country as peace has eluded us as a nation since 1960. We call on Afenifere, Elders and Leaders of Yorubaland to close ranks and save our race ní tori wipe oun to ba s’oju eni kii tun s’eyin eni and Ile l’abo sinmi oko On this score, we reiterate our call for a free YORUBA NATION under a peaceful and constitutional arrangement while pledging our loyalty to the leadership of Prof Banji Akintoye/Sunday Igboho in our call for justice, equity and fairness.
E-Signed:
Otunba Hon Tayo Onayemi, the Convener, Mrs Bukky Tunde Oshunrinde, Mrs Sola Maja, Dr Kayode Olunuga and Otunba Niyi Sodiya
