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Afenifere, YCE, YUF call for caution over political activities around Sanusi

By Seye Olumide
23 March 2020   |   3:10 am
Yoruba socio-cultural organisations, Afenifere, Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), and Yoruba United Front (YUF) have urged political leaders and elders of Southwest geo-political zone to be wary of their involvement and meddlesomeness in the ongoing political activities....

Yoruba socio-cultural organisations, Afenifere, Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), and Yoruba United Front (YUF) have urged political leaders and elders of Southwest geo-political zone to be wary of their involvement and meddlesomeness in the ongoing political activities around the deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, who currently resides in Lagos. In separate telephone conversations yesterday, National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin and Secretary-General, YCE, Dr. Kunle Olajide, said it was necessary for those who have now turned the Lagos residence of the deposed emir to their Mecca and tourist centre for political discussions to be careful not to lead the zone into another political catastrophe, not unlike the current political reality plaguing the country.

Also in a statement, National President of YUF, Alhaji Raimi Ali and National Secretary, Deacon Samuel Aderanti, said it was imperative of those turning the present ordeals of Sanusi into political activities or currency to campaign ahead of 2023 election to be careful, saying the deposed emir’s antecedents do not detach him from being an ethnic bigot who has no love lost for the Yoruba people.

Although, Afenifere and YCE said Sanusi has been criticising the feudalism posture of his co-northern leaders, which he was courageous enough to say as being responsible for dragging the entire country down, they said, “his previous antecedents cannot be pushed aside and it is rather too early, even for the good of our democracy, to start attaching political campaign to Sanusi’s present predicaments.”

According to Odumakin, “It is unfortunate that some Yoruba leaders have suddenly turned Sanusi to their hero by converting his Lagos residence to a Mecca where they must visit to show sympathy while some people were using it to play the 2023 presidential card.”

Although Afenifere noted that though the embattled former emir may be right in some of his recent comments, said, “the facts remain that Sanusi cannot be separated from his ethnic fundamentalism, which does not promote the interest of the South in any manner.”

Olajide, on his part, said while YCE upholds and believes in the unity and oneness of Nigeria, “the track record of the former emir is nothing to be proud of.”

The YCE scribe agreed that Sanusi has been castigating the leadership style of the north in the last six months to the extent of even having the courage to say that it is what is dragging Nigeria backwards, added, “that does not still make him a nationalist to be worshiped based on his antecedents.”

Olajide said the fanfare surrounding the former emir among Yoruba leaders was due to the ill-manner Governor Umar Ganduje, in collaboration with some powerful forces, deposed him, “but it is the affair of the north and should not be equated to politics in the country. We should not make a hero out of Sanusi this time, otherwise it will be dangerous for the coming 2023 election,” adding that what the Yoruba nation needed is not the president, but a restructuring of Nigeria to true federalism where every section of the country would realise their true potential.

Meanwhile, YUF said it was surprised that Sanusi, who had earlier declared the Yoruba as the problem of Nigeria, would seek asylum in Lagos. The group warned Yoruba leaders and politicians to be wary of the antics of Sanusi, saying he has a mission to achieve “otherwise, why his choice of Lagos and not Kaduna or any northern city? What does Sanusi really want? That is the question every right thinking Yoruba person should be asking, and why is he taking Yoruba land as a place of refuge now that he has problem with his kinsmen? The Yoruba people will never forget the diatribes of Sanusi, who excoriated the icons of Oduduwa land in a 1999 speech where he described the entire Yoruba leadership as an ‘Area Boy’ institution.”

The group said it was ironic that Sanusi, who has often times uttered unprintable words against Yoruba leaders, “is now being treated as a hero because of sympathy. We urge our people to be wary of this man whose agenda and purpose are puzzling and dubious.”

The group further warned Yoruba leaders not to allow Sanusi to systematically build a Fulani camp in Lagos, saying, “We should be wary and ask him what exactly he wants in Yoruba land. Those Yoruba lackeys rushing to visit him either in form of old school students association or whatever form should remember Sansui’s past, his hatred of anything Yoruba and should realise that Sanusi is a radical Islamist and should not be treated as a pan-Nigerian patriot.”

Meanwhile, some Northern Youths, under the aegis of All Northern Youths Project (ANYP), have started mobilising support for Sanusi to vie for the 2023 presidency. Already, the group has started procuring vehicles and other logistics to support Sanusi’s presidential ambition.

A statement signed by its National Coordinator, Dr. Suleiman Shuaibu Shinkaffi, said, “The campaign for 2023 for the deposed Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II, has kicked off officially in Kaduna, the defunct capital of Northern Region. The movement, pioneered by Nigerian youths, has already taken delivery of about 12 vehicles of different grades and brands, donated to it for logistic purposes from prominent Nigerians.”

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