Yoruba forum protests, warns against South-West secession plan

The Yoruba Appraisal Forum (YAF), a socio-political group, has kicked against secession of South-West region from Nigeria.

The group, during a peaceful protest in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, yesterday, accused the Yoruba World Congress (YWC) of plotting to break Yoruba nation out of Nigeria.

The President of YWC, Banji Akintoye, had few months ago announced that the Yoruba nation had been accepted as the 45th member of Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO).

But the YAF cautioned the YWC and other separatist groups from engaging in activities capable of plunging Nigeria into crisis.

Members of YAF during the rally displayed placards with various inscriptions such as “One Nigeria Is Paramount”, “United We Stand, Divided We Fall”, “We Say No To War In Nigeria”, “Stand For Something Or Fall For Nothing”, “Give Us Jobs Not Secession”, “Yoruba World Congress Should Allow Us Grow As One Nation” and “Don’t Turn Our Greenland to War Zone”.

The Spokesman of YAF, Oloketuyi Ojo, while addressing journalists, condemned the agitation for secession, stressing: “We are standing for Nigeria’s unity and one Nigeria. Yoruba cannot be carved out from Nigeria.

“We want to tell Nigerians, especially the South-West leaders, that there are some disgruntled elements that want to hijack the region.

“We as a Yoruba forum, we are saying ‘No’. Everybody must be carried along if anything like that has to be done.

He, therefore, urged the security agencies to checkmate the activities of the YWC and other separatist groups, saying their actions could plunge Nigeria into chaos.

The rally ended at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, where the group presented a letter to Governor Dapo Abiodun.

The governor, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Shuab Salisu Afolabi, sued for peace, unity and development of the region,

He said: “The Yoruba fought dearly for the independence of Nigeria and the prayer of our founding-fathers is for the progress and development of South-West region and Nigeria at large.

“Inasmuch as democracy allows for expression of opinions, we must be mindful of our actions so as not to set the nation on fire.”