Yoruba nation agitation suicidal — Council of Elders

The Secretary-General of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Dr Kunle Olajide, on Thursday described agitation for Yoruba nation as suicidal.

Olajide said with the nation’s security architecture and hardware concentrated in the North, agitation for Yoruba nation might be crushed by the military.

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Olajide, who spoke during a one-day summit on Yoruba nationality question, organised by Afenifere Renewal Group at the University of Ibadan, said Nigerians have mental and physical indolence problem.

He said: “All ammunition have been moved over to the North and the constitution has virtually rendered the federating units powerless. Then, where are the boundaries of the Yoruba nation, where do we sit and decide to have the Yoruba nation. For example, Awujale of Ijebu has told me several times that he is not a descendant of Oduduwa.

“Lagos too have made publication that they are not part of the Oduduwa. So, where is the boundary of Oduduwa nation. There are Yorubas who have been in the North and the East for over 100 years. With the state of the economy, there are a lot of people who would wake up in the morning without N1,000 in their pockets.

“How do you want to bring them together  and resettle them, what plans do you have for them and where are the resources. We are endowed with versatile human beings with mental capacity not to take rash decision. In other words, we have to examine all options and identify the one with the least damage.”

“For me, I believe this country can still be salvaged. Yoruba as an ethnic group has made the largest investment in the Nigerian nation, both in human and natural resources. Therefore, we must allow anybody to allow our youths to commit mass suicide.”