The Oduduwa Worldwide, a Diaspora pro-Yoruba socio-cultural group, rose from an emergency meeting Friday, to condemn the recent attacks on the residence of Yoruba Nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho and his being placed on wanted list by the Federal Government.
Reports said the Soka, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, home of the pro-Yoruba self-determination activists was invaded by men from the Directorate of State Security (DSS), at about 1:30am Thursday, consequently destroyed properties and left with several causalities.
Reacting, President of the Oodua Worldwide, a global organization with headquarters in Canada, Prince Adewale Julius Ojo, condemned the act saying it was “callous, oppressive, barbaric and smirks of obvious favouritism deliberately skewed to favour a section of the country against others.”
Ojo, who was of the opinion that Igboho was fighting a just course which should not attract the big stick wielded by the Federal Government, posited that self-determination agitation is a fundamental human right that should not be met with stiff resistance as being demonstrated by the Nigerian government.
He wondered why a section of the country has been terrorising the citizens of Nigeria unmolested while Igboho, who is carrying out a peaceful agitation would be the target of government.
“Reports have indicated that the gun totting men of the DSS, donned in military uniform, had killed two occupants in the building and whisked away others, including Igboho’s wife, to yet to be ascertained destination.
“This is an urgent response to avert a looming danger hovering around Nigeria, if swift, urgent steps are not taken to the right course. We wonder why known national tormentors like Sheik Gumi, Miyyeiti Allah and others are walking the streets of Nigeria unmolested while those on a popular struggle suddenly became objects of intimidation by our government
“Our attention was drawn today to the gory incident that took place in the residence of Sunday Igboho around 1am, on Thursday 1st July, 2021, in Ibadan, Oyo State. We view the nocturnal attack by the DSS, which brought to memory the dark days of the fascist military rule in Nigeria, as a mis-normal on the part of the attackers. We are miffed by the fact that Nigeria is fast drifting from the path of advancement into the shameful abyss of doom, while the leaders of our beleaguered nation seems to be looking away, or pretending to be.
“We are appalled that the nation is fast degenerating and no one seems to care about what would become of a once fledgling country which seems to have lost its soul to petty politicking by those ordained to guide it to fruition.
“Agitation for self-determination came as a last option after series of pressure for a national dialogue met brick walls, deliberately erected by the thieving leaders who have from independence eaten up the national egg, killed the fowls and are now bent on setting the entire poultry ablaze.
“At this point, we may not be too wrong to assume that this recent attack was a furtherance to the conceived ethnic cleansing by a section of the country who are bent to dominate and force the rest of us to an underdog in a country that constitutionally bequeath egalitarianism, equal rights and justice for all.
“Two souls were reported to have been lost to these marauding attackers, with their corpses taken away. Scores of people, including the wife of Chief Ighoho, were also taken away. This is not only barbaric but sad.
“We therefore state without any fear of intimidation that the Muhammadu Buhari led administration should, without hesitation release all the arrested persons from Chief Sunday Igboho’s house, stop the manhunt on him and pay adequate compensation for the damages visited on his properties. We are Nigerians and we deserve fair treatment for as long as we still remain a nation.
“We here state categorically that the only way peace and tranquility can reign in Nigeria is for government to restore hope that a new Nigeria is still a possibility. Anything to the contrary will pose a serious danger to the unity of our country, Nigeria,”
“Yoruba and indeed her people, have been peaceful in the agitation for a Yoruba nation all along. We have adhered with both the Nigerian and International Laws guiding the agitation for self-determination. All our agitations have been peacefully, orderly and lawfully executed. Any action that will show a mistake of our orderliness for cowardice shall be strictly resisted.
“We therefore declare that this attack on Chief Ighoho’s house by these enemies of our land codenamed DSS, was rather unfortunate, cruel, irresponsible, illegal and atrocious.
“We make bold to say that we shall hold the Muhammadu Buhari led administration down to this barbaric attack if nothing is done in record time to condemn the act and redresses made to assuage frayed nerves on this very dastardly act.
” And should there be no response to our request within 72 hours, this recent action will be taken as a declaration of war against our peace-loving people.
“A stitch in time can save more than nine,” Ojo warned.
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