Laoye Sesan || The representative of the Igbo people from the South East Chief John
Nwodo who is the President General of Ohaneze Ndgbo said the South
east was in support of the Yoruba agenda and the declaration for the
proper restructuring of the country. Chief Nwodo who came with large
entourage of the Igbo people said that what was witnessed in
Ibadan was an indication that democracy has just started in the
country because that has been the position of the people of the south
East.
According to him, the people of Nigeria have not been allowed to have
their own constitution and argued that time has now come for them to
decide the way forward and how they want to live together among
themselves. ‘’ ‘’Time has come for us to have a say in the way we are
governed.
He pointed out that the era of a group thinking that it can hold the
country to ransom with what it has gone and this is why it is
expedient that we can no longer depend on the Mineral resources to
sustain ourselves. He said without mineral resources, the country can
survive and that is why there must be restructuring for the federating
units in the country to develop at their own pace.
He gave the example of Netherlands with a small population which rakes
over 100billiondallars from agriculture. He further pointed out that
that the target of the entire world now has moved from Mineral
resources to agriculture. He also made reference to California in
America which depends on human resources and technology for
development, saying that California alone produced Google, Apple and
Hollywood. ‘’That is why we are saying that if you give people
advantage, they will develop at their own pace. I want to say here
that the entire Igbo people are in support of what is happening here
today’’
The representative of the south –south, Chief Albert Origbo Oxford,
who claimed that his father was the leader of the Action Group (AG) in
their area and a very close associate of the late sage Chief Obafemi
Awolowo said that the restructuring which other parts of the country
are now agitating for started with the people of the south-south,
adding that they are the one providing the engine room that drives the
country but yet they have nothing to show for it. ‘’We lay the golden
egg but we are still very poor and that is why the country must be
restructured and if that is to take place, it must start from the
South-South.’’
Others who spoke at the gathering include the Leader of the Odua
Peoples’ Congress (OPC) Otunba Gani Adams who said that the
restructuring that is needed is the one that would not bring the
people back to slavery and that was why the country must go back to
the regional arrangement as ‘’anything short of this is slavery’’
Chief Femi Fani-Kayode seems to be the only one who did not support
outright restructuring; his views were different from others. What he
advocated for was for the Yoruba not to accept anything short of the
The Oduduwa Republic because ‘’no one can suppress us’’
As the clamour for restructuring of Nigeria gathers momentum, the
conglomeration of Yoruba people, including those in Kogi and Kwara,
have declared that the only way to save the country called Nigeria is
for the country to be restructured along regional lines as it was in
the 50s and 60s before the military juntas came to disrupt the
arrangement which gave regions the power to grow the way they like.
The gathering of the Yoruba people comprising all the cultural
organizations, elders, and youths, in what they described as Ibadan
declaration resolved that enough is enough and that nothing would
stop them from achieving, the Yoruba agenda, which would make them
autonomous and develop at their pace, saying, that the present Nigeria
structure has been retrogressive to each of the federating units, that
constitute Nigeria.
They argued that what they were agitating for was I tandem with what
other sections of the country especially the South East and the South
–south have been calling for since the past three years. Virtually
all the leaders, serving governors, former ones and notable people in
Yoruba land, were present and at the Adamasingba Stadium Ibadan the
venue of the summit, tagged ‘’Restructuring: The Yoruba Agenda 2017’’
Although it was only Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state that was
physically present, others sent their representatives and delivered
their good will messages to support thee the agenda which they too
declared that it must be achieved now, to help the unity of the
country.
The venue which was filled to capacity was in a way historical and
described as the largest gathering of Yoruba people to determine the
future of the Yoruba nation and the country in a way that would not
lead to violence or secessions. At the end of the day all those
present came out with 13 point resolution.
Some of what they spelt out are that Nigeria should be a federation,
comprising six regions and the federal capital, Abuja and that the
federal government shall make laws and only have powers in relation to
items specified on the legislative list contained in the new
constitution of the federation which would be determined by the
people, while it was argued, that the six regions should be the
federating units, which, should each have equal representation at a
unicameral Federal Parliamentary National Assembly, with the regions
in turn to be composed of states.
It was also agreed that each region should have its own constitution
containing enumerated exclusive and concurrent legislative lists
regarding matters upon which the regions and the states may act or
legislate. It was further agreed that contagious territories, ethnic
nationalities or settlements should be at liberty through a
plebiscite, to elect to be part of any contagious region other than
the region which the current geopolitical zone or state boundaries
places them. Other items agreed upon are that the power to create
states should be within the exclusive powers of the region, which
should be obliged to create a state provided a plebiscite and
percentage of any ethnic nationality as well as the definition of
ethnic nationality should be set out in the regional constitution
while the power to create, local government should be vested in the
states.
Despite the general resolutions, at the Yoruba summit, those who spoke
expressed their minds. What actually boost the call for the Yoruba
agenda was the present of the Igbo and the Niger Delta leaders who
were present to give their solidarity for the struggle which they
argued must be achieved collectively.
The chairman of the organizing committee, Aare Afebabalola, said the
decision of the Yoruba people to come together at this point was not a
joke and it was the collective will of the people to ask for the way
the country should henceforth leave together for peace to reign. He
said that the Yoruba people are not asking for secession, but believed
that the way things are cannot continue as they are determined to move
forward without being deprived of what is good for them. He said that
the centralized system of government has outlived its usefulness with
the present constitution forced on the country by the Military which
is no longer acceptable to the federating units called Nigeria.
While speaking at the gathering, Afenifere and Yoruba leader, Chief
Fasoranti told the gathering that, the Yoruba nation has a watched
for too long and ‘’we can no longer bear the way we are being treated
‘’ he argued that time has come for the country to be restructured and
that the Yoruba people cannot in any way play a second fiddle. ‘’What
we want is total restructuring and nothing else because we are now
determined to go on self-determination’’
Archbishop Ladigbolu, who has always been in the forefront, said of
the Yoruba agenda the issue of restructuring is a general war across
the country and it must be a must because that was the only way to
bring unity and peace in the country.
The Ooni of Ife Oba Ogunwusi who led all the Yoruba obas to the venue
gave his backing to the restructuring of the country saying that the
traditional rulers in Yoruba land are fully with the agenda which
would bring development to their people.
He argued that restructuring should, however, be achieved without
violence or disruption of the lives of the entire people of the
country he also said that he was of the opinion that what the Yoruba
are asking for was in order and the ancestors of the land are fully in
support of the people’s demands.
The speech of Governor Fayose was the most captivating as the crowd
was eager to listen to him. As he mounted the rostrum, there was a
loud ovation and in his usual way turned round to acknowledge the wild
cheers from the crowd. Before he started, he asked the crowd whether
they want him to speak in Yoruba or English he, however, responded to
the cheering crowd that he should speak in Yoruba as they would enjoy
him better when he speaks their mother language.
Fayose was furious about the present constitution of the country and
the way he said things are being done. He said that in Nigeria they
don’t want the truth and even hate whoever is saying the truth. He
said that Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Samuel Ladoke, and Alhaji
Adelabu Adegoke (Penkelemess) were forthright leaders in Yoruba
politics who fought for the people and knew what they wanted for the
Yoruba. He castigated the present Yoruba leaders, saying that as far
as he was concerned they are the problem of the Yoruba people because
they are not saying the truth.
He said some of them are selfish and only after their personal
interests and not what would benefit the people. He said those he was
referring to would not see anything good in what the entire Yoruba
people are demanding and that he would not be surprised if they later
go on air to dissociate themselves from the agitation of the Yoruba
nation for the restructuring of the country.
According to him, the Yoruba leaders have not done enough to honour
Late Chief MKO Abila and he was surprised that when Yoruba man was
at the helms of affairs in this country, Abiola was not honoured
despite the fact that he laid down his life for the present democracy
to thrive.
Governor Fayose believed that the Yoruba people have entered ‘’one
chance vehicle’’ and it was time for them to get out as quickly as
possible before they are driven to an unknown destination which would
bring sorrow and disaster. ‘’ If we have to go forward, there is no
alternative than to go back to the regional system which must be
modified to suit the present needs of the people.
The governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who was represented
by chief Togun said that the country should return to proper
federation and there should be devolution of powers and that the power
of the federal government should be reduced. He called for the country
to be restructured into six geopolitical zones saying that the cause
of proper Federation would be truly served if ‘’we return to the Pre
1966 evolutionary path which was a balanced federal structure which
recognises fully the legitimate rights of each federating unit and
which did not give any of the units to hinder the progress of the
other.’’
The representative of the Ondo state governor, Barrister Rotimi
Akjeredolu Mr. Bayo Ademola who delivered the Governor’s goodwill
message said that the people of Ondo state are fully in support of the
Yoruba agenda and that the only way out is for the country to be
restructured. He said that Governor Akeredolu was happy about the
gathering of the Yoruba people for self-determination and that time
has come for such a gathering to put Nigeria on the right path.
