Yoruba group, Alajobi, charges Buhari on Nigeria’s security, celebrates fallen heroes

The Federation Of Yoruba Consciousness and Culture (FYCC) organisation also known as “Alajobi,” has called on President Muhamadu Buhari-led administration to subdue the ugly trend of banditry, kidnapping and armed robbery threatening the national security, especially the South-West region of the country.

Leader of the Yoruba group, Ambassador Kunle Adesokan, who stated this in his address during a recent marking of the 21 anniversary of the death of the winner of June 12, 1993 election, Chief MKO Abiola, who died July 7, 1998 after being incarcerated for four years while fighting for the restoration of his mandate by the former military dictator, late General Sanni Abacha.

Adesokan, said the choice of July 7 as Yoruba Martyrs Day “is no doubt significant and of huge historical essence,” being the day he said, “the winner of June 12, 1993, free and fair election was murdered in a controversial circumstances.”

He said his group was formed on four cardinal principles which include, “Emancipation of Yoruba people from re-colonization;” “Committed to Yoruba, total freedom;” to “Defend the interest of Yoruba people where ever they were found;” and to “Promote Yoruba culture and language.”

Apart from Chief MKO Abiola, Adesokan said, “there are numerous heroes and heroines of Yoruba origin in the geopolitical space today known as the South-West, including Yoriba kinsmen spread across the South-South and North-Central geo-political zones.”

“As we mark another year of Yoruba Martyrs’ Day, FYCC pays glowing tribute to the memories of other fallen heroes amongst whom are foremost nationalists, Herbert Macaulay, Sapara Williams, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Ladoke Akintola, Oba (Sir) Adesoji Aderemi, Odemo of Ishara, Oba Akinsanya, Bello Ijumu, Funmilayo Ransome – Kuti, and others.

“Our heroes also include post independence political icons like Lt. Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, and Col. Ayo Banjo, Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle, Col. Samuel Ademoyega, Brigadier Samuel Ademulegun and Professor Akin Fadahunsi,” Adesokan said in an address delivered at FYCC Ojo Local Government Secretariat, Unity Estate, Isashi Odan, Ojo, Lagos.

According to him, the commitment of Yoruba heroes and heroines to social reegineering and pro-democracy movement in Nigeria led to the mobilisation of millions of heroic foot-soldiers led by personalities like Fela Anikulapo-kuti, Alao Aka Bashorun, Kanmi Ishola Oshobu, Tai Solarin, Gani Fawehinmi, Ayodele Awojobi, Jadesola Akande, and Dr. Frederick Fasheun.

“The heroes of the struggle for democracy and revalidation of June 12 mandate include, Pa Micheal Adekunle Ajasin, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, Alfred Rewane, Solanke Onasanya, Abraham Adesanya, Suliat Adedeji, Chief GOK Ajayi, Baba Omojola, Cornel Ajayi, Cornel Banjo, Comrade Makinde Omolaja, Comrade Ayanlola Ayandiran, Kolawola Arowosaye, Musediku Lawal.”

Adesokan contended that “these are serious times in the British contraption called Nigeria,” as such, he said it “calls for a serious dissection of affairs of things amongst the nationalities, the Nigerian constitution has cognizance of three major nationalities namely Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba with the over 350 others.”

In his address, Adesokan said, “You will agree with me that recent happenings, especially since the inception of the Buhari administration, had been nothing but an active attempt to rearrange the order of things to suit a particular minority.

“The so called Ruga Settlement plans is one such, the Fulani race that has no ancestral home in Nigeria, are now been imposed on us, this we must resist with every ounce of our blood.

“The history of Ruga could be traced to East Africa, where it was coined and developed by Britain and Germany for colonial expansion purposes, in the course of the 1st World War Ruga Ruga fought alongside the British as well as the German side in the East African campaign, it means mercenaries and auxiliary military formation and forces.”

His address further reads: “The term Ruga – Ruga is for armed guards in Caravan and mercenaries troop, dates back to 1820. Therefore, Buhari’s Ruga is nothing but, an encampment of hostile forces on our ancestral land, we say no to Ruga.

“The noble Yoruba race with her liberal education has suffered the most with the loss of her comparative advantages of the earlier times in order to sustain Nigeria, we trained our children to respect life, see the other person’s point of view, ideally so, but on the other hands, we have people who has respect for life, the slaughter of humans has no meaning to them, in view of this I’m of the opinion that, it is high time we have a rethink of our interaction with other Nigerians, enough of the wisdom turned stupidity.

“We have to start with internal reorientation to weaken the hold of those who have gained ascendance to position of leadership and choose to use such positions for selfish and self centered purposes, with their ill gotten wealth, they have been able to entrenched their evil hold on the Yoruba psychic for so long, while they, at the same time perplexed us on readiness for the killing field that their masters are waiting to turn Yoruba land to, in their quest to take over Nigeria.

“Our demand is simple, the experience of other people, world over, striving for self determination, makes much clear that no people or nations can be said to truly enjoy the gains of independence, without having the abundant democratic powers and cultural privileges to decide and initiate laws that would best be suitable for, the promotion, and protection of their natural, cultural, political and social economic aspirations.

“This real freedom, basically is what we the Yoruba have been striving to achieve, before and after the 1960 flag independence.

“The attempts by the Yoruba people to achieve their progressive target since the struggle for Nigeria independence from the colonial government, instituted by Britain has continually been sabotaged. Enough is enough, Oodua Republic now!

“Due to these and many other facts that I have chosen to keep to myself, for now, I hereby declared that the chop chop struggle is over in Yoruba land.”