A socio-cultural group, Yoruba for One Nigeria Forum (YONF) have urged former President Olusegun Obasanjo to clear his name over purported media reports that he is lobbying Benin Republic to shield Sunday Adeyemi popularly known as Igboho from facing prosecution.
The group in a statement titled, Olusegun Obasanjo is the Greatest Beneficiary of Nigeria’s Unity and signed by its National President, Seun Adebayo Lawal explained that the call became necessary in view of the significant benefits the former President and Yoruba nation as a whole have gained from one united Nigeria.
The statement reads: “The attention of our organisation has been drawn to media reports that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has embarked on a mission in Benin Republic to shield Sunday Adeyemi popularly known as Igboho, who is currently facing multiple criminal charges in the country and on DSS wanted list in Nigeria from being prosecuted. Recall that the self-styled violent agitator has been on the run following his invitation by the Department of State Services”, the group noted.
It further averred that Nigeria has not given Yoruba nation agitators a reason to pursue emancipation, stressing that Obasanjo should know this better than anyone else especially being a two-time President of a united Nigeria.
“While we hope that this unpatriotic move is not true, we expect the former President to issue a clear statement on the allegations to inform Nigerians of his position. This is important because of the imminent misconceptions his silence is generating on this matter. It is our position as a native Yoruba indigenous organisation that the alleged move by Obasanjo needs to be censored so as to set records straight for posterity and history.
“The Nigerian history, in its present form has recorded the Yoruba nation as the greatest beneficiaries of Nigeria’s unity since independence. Ironically former President Olusegun Obasanjo is a Yoruba man who has benefited the most from whatever gains Nigeria made of her unity. Obasanjo is the only Nigerian of pure Yoruba descent who has ever ruled this country under the military and civilian dispensations. What more could Nigeria have offered to him or the Yoruba nation? What dues were deserving of the Yoruba nation that Obasanjo could not make up during his time as Head of State and President? He does not need to be reminded of the role Nigeria’s unity played in his rise, both as a military and civilian President thus, the least he owes this nation is to preach peace, promote and advocate for a one united and indissoluble Nigeria.
“If Obasanjo is desirous of creating a sustainable and one united Nigeria, he should utilise his international contacts in the overall benefit of the Nigerian State and its people. Any attempt by Obasanjo or any group to scuttle legitimate efforts by the Nigerian government to ensure that Igboho faces justice would not be forgiven by patriotic Nigerians. The resistance of such moves, no matter how clandestine will be equally resisted by the Nigerian people”, the statement noted.
Continuing, the group stressed that “…as a Yoruba indigenous group, we will not look the other way when those who have exploited the most of Nigeria’s unity turn to sabotage government peace efforts. We call on former President Olusegun Obasanjo to utilise his international privileges to champion the unity of this country. After all, he got those privileges from the benevolence of Nigeria’s unity.
“It is perhaps too late for any individual in the echelon of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to contemplate a divided Nigeria at this moment. We must therefore make this Clarion call to all Yoruba indigenous people to show solidarity with the Nigerian government to achieve the long-desired hope of one Nigeria built on unity, peace and progress”, the statement added.
I laugh! “Yoruba For One-Nigeria”. If I may ask, where do you live, Mr. spoke person?
Do you understand the geopolitical zones, cultures, and fundamental believes of every Religions, Cultures, and norms of the individuals who make the called “Nigeria”?
How old are you and what is your pedigree in history? The Northern Power does not want to release Abbah Kiyari to Wetern World because they knew what the consequences will look like, you are there seated writing rubbish that Baba Obasanjo should not speak for Sunday Adeyemo.
Be Objective in your reasoning, in the dream of making Nigeria one, you do not throw away the baby and the bathe water away. Every Leader, be it Statesman or Regional power must stand to protect their future (Youthful ones). Forget their means of expression, the nations is under serious siege, even the Northerners are healing for Security and serious SOS call.
The national leaders will look for ways and manner to handle the situation on ground without exposing their future (youths & young Adults) to the World for blackmail and national damages, they owns the nations and will correct the wrongs in APPROXIMATE MANNER.
Mr. Spoke Person, will you disown your own child for calling you a bad father because you fail to give him biscuits? No. Even, out esteemed President does not hate any of his own Children, he is a father to ALL, be it North, South, West, East or Middlebelt of Nigeria.
PMB is a Father, and a gallant foremost Soldier for the Nation while at tender age, they were once like every Youths and they understand their agitations. He can be angry to any Child of the nation but he will NEVER destroy or have such intention on any Nigerian.
Let any leader rise to talk for anyone, it is their rights as Statesman. Do not condemn such heart. We have lost enough souls and we can afford to let anyone die again in the cold hand of disowning them. Call it Northerners, Easterner, or Westerner…. We Are Nigerians! Nothing change this!
I was literally seething with anger as I read through this piece. So angry to the extent that I considered it a waste of my precious time going through it to the end.
By the way, who are the representatives of this faceless organization that called itself, “Yoruba for One Nigeria”. I dare say that, this organization does not represent me and it neither represent many of the Yorubas that I know and are most concerned by the direction, the events happening in the country has taken.
For one, I am not a fan of Baba’ Obasanjo but I am on this same page with him in respect of his intervention in the case of Sunday Igboho. It is only a bastard Yoruba that will not be aggrieved with the way and manners the Yorubas are being killed in their native land by the criminal Fulanis. And let me say that, I suspect the way some Yorubas who are Muslims have being going round trying to sabotaged the steps that the well meaning Yorubas have been taken to safeguard the lives and properties of their compatriots. MURIC director on mind. I’ll advise them to thread carefully. Nobody has the right to stop them from expressing their right to freedom of speech. But this one (Yoruba United or what name it gives itself) that portend to be speaking for me does not have the right to do so. Worse, the organization is clearly off the tangent with the issues that are of utmost importance to the Yorubas.