At June 12, Yoruba group seeks self-government for race

• Nothing to celebrate 27 years after, says Onitiri
• Falana urges patriots to intensify struggle for genuine democracy

A Yoruba group, the Oodua Action Movement (OAM), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to give the Yoruba people self-government by reverting to regional government.

The group, which is an association of Yoruba indigenes in Diaspora, also asked all Yoruba people to use the June 12 occasion for sober reflection and unity among themselves.

The Co-ordinator, Demola Edward, in a statement in Akure yesterday, clamoured for autonomous nation to bring back progress and development. According to him, it is imperative that all Yoruba people globally should come together to actualise an autonomous nation so as not to remain perpetual slaves in their fatherland.

In a related vein, a political activist/social critic, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri, has called for sober reflection and rebirth by political players, leaders and appointees across the country.

Onitiri, who spoke yesterday in Lagos, expressed sadness that the politicians had forgotten so soon the sacrifice and message of June 12, which the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola struggled and died for, adding that currently, there is no democratic government in Nigeria.

Also, a human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, said immortalising Abiola was not enough, saying that the last 21 years in the nation’s return to democratic rule have been full of sorrow and tears. Falana, who spoke during a live radio programme in Ibadan, urged true patriots in the country to intensify the struggle for genuine democracy.

He said: “One of the policies carried out by the Buhari administration is the recognition of June as a public holiday and replacement of Democracy Day which was originally May 29. Those who set May 29 as a Democracy Day did so out of spite.

“For eight years, Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration refused to recognise the supreme sacrifice paid by Abiola in the restoration of democracy in Nigeria. It was very good on the part of this administration to have recognised that day.

“But it is not enough to immortalise MKO. It is not enough to recognise June 12 as a Democracy Day. The last 21 years have been civil rule of disenchantment and frustration on the part of the majority of Nigerians. That is why the struggle to have genuine democracy must be intensified by genuine patriots in this country.”