Atlas Cove Attack, an invitation to inter-tribal war – YCE
From AKEEB ALARAPE, Ibadan
Monday, July 20, 2009
•Photo: The Sun Publishing
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The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has described last week’s attack on the Atlas Cove Oil Jetty in Lagos by the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) as an invitation to inter-tribal war.

Speaking through its National President, Major-General Adeyinka Adebayo (retd), after an emergency meeting held in Ibadan at the weekend to review the ugly development, YCE disclosed that the elders’ body had scheduled a meeting with President Umaru Yar’Adua over the matter.

According to Adebayo, the extension of violent attacks by Niger Delta militants to the South-West was an invitation to an inter-tribal conflict.
The Elders’ Council also expressed its displeasure over the intractable crisis rocking Ogun State government, pointing out that the continued face-off between the executive and the legislative arms of government in the state was becoming an embarrassment to Yoruba nation.
YCE expressed disappointment that neither the state governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel nor the Group of 15 lawmakers opposed to the governor had honoured the peace move brokered by President Umaru Yar’Adua recently.

Adebayo also disclosed that a committee of the YCE, led by him, had earlier met behind close doors with all the factions in the crisis but all to no avail.
His words: “This is the second time within two months that we would be releasing communiqué on the political crisis in Ogun State . All Yoruba sons and daughters must at all times strive to adopt the concept of Omoluabi.

“There is no way for war or any form of battle in Yoruba land again. The race must be noted for political sophistication, economically viable and socially progressive”, he stated.
At the meeting were the former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide; a former Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Dr. Dejo Raimi; Secretary-General of the body, Professor Bayo Olateju, and Mrs Bolajoko Doherty, among others.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2009/july/20/national-20-07-2009-01.htm

Tribalists Unite!!! lol

Nigerians ehn!!! kai!!!

This is just a sick excuse to meet with the president. Some bags of cash and this whole issue will die down, even if mend invades lagos. They should stop pretending they have the interest of the yoruba people at heart. . . .

Ehh! if this is true then i have to get ready to send my siblings to benin republic

if i were mod I would have to enforce a quota on these tribalistic topics. they're just springing left n right and getting out of hand.  

This potential inter-tribal war is really going 2b bloody.
Bloodier than:
Ijaw vs. Itsekiri crisis
Ife vs. Modakeke crisis etc.
Thes wars were only communal wars.
I just can't wait for a regional war between freedom-fighting groups.
@least OPC would be doing FG a sìlent favour.

It is a pity that this is what people have stooped to accepting as their reality!!

where is nigeria heading to with all this. Mend have really caused havoc and are waiting to cause more. Can the yorubas face the ND if this leads to war. Will massob be involved in this too. Maybe we need to know cos me no get power to fight

Reality hits U in the face, so ADJUST to it or DEAL with it

im very sure the modakeke cant withstand the mend. Massob might support MEND in this war. The problem we are all facing now erupted from the north. Its time they take the war to the north

That, i agree to.

LOL, I thought elders had wisdom?













Wait, my mistake. . . . TIN.

wisdom indeed

If a great man of repute like chief richard akinjide,a well read lawyer whom i so much respect is involved in tribal threat,then i'm highly DISAPPOINTED in Nigeria.

OPC will fight back if… — Fasehun
BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Barely 48 hours after the Lagos state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fasola (SAN) condemned the attack on the Atlas Cove jetty in Lagos by Movement for the Emancipation of Niger /Delta (MEND), president and founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr Frederick Fasehun has cautioned that a repeat of such incident in any part of Yoruba land will attract severe retaliation.


Dr Fasehun noted at a press conference in Lagos that his investigations revealed that the attack on the jetty as claimed by MEND was carried out by a dissident group within the movement.

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/jul/18/315.html



Dr. Frederick Fasehun, Founder and President of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) addressed a press conference on the recent bombing of the Atlas Cove in Lagos. Photo shows, R-L, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, Founder and President of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) addressing the press with Engr. Tunde Odulesi, Chairman OPC, Lagos. Photo by Sylva Eleanya.

He however said that any slight attack by any group against Yoruba people and its territory would be regarded as an affront against Yoruba people, which will not be tolerated.

According to him, Yoruba people, especially OPC, has always been sympathetic to the struggle and course of the people of the Niger/Delta. He wondered the latest attack on the Lagos Atlas Cove which he said was meant to punish the people of the South / West.

Fasehun lamented that majority of the casualties recorded at the scene of the incident were Yorubas.

“We viewed MEND’ss attack on the Atlas Cove with a measure of discomfort. That bombing left collateral damages not just on the key Federal Government facilities; it left deaths in its trail. Some lives and property lost were those of Yoruba people.

And as an organization sworn to defend Yoruba interest anywhere in this country, OPC will be behaving out of character and calling, if it keeps quite.”

He observed that though his group recognized “the environmental and socio economic devastations that engineered the Niger/ Delta struggles.”

He however, enjoined the fighters in MEND not to “take action directly or indirectly that will suggest that Yoruba land is under attack from agitators who should rather regard us as well wishers and mediators.”

Condemning the attack, he said if they (MEND) did not refrain from such attack in future, “MEND should know that OPC has the capacity to return fire for fire. So, MEND should not provoke any unnecessary crisis between us.”

The OPC leader also called on the Federal Government on its part to “begin the implementation of recommendations proffered by the several panels established on the Niger/ Delta, fro pre-independence to the 2008 Niger/ Delta technical committee headed by Ledum Mittee. We especially viewed the resting of the recommendations of the Ledum Mittee committee as flagrant demonstrations of insincerity on the part of the government.

“We request that the superlative resolutions of Mittee committee be unearthed and implemented immediately, as a matter of national emergency.”

He also called on the Federal Government to consider the issue of self determination and resource control “that motivated the struggles which must be settled with the introduction of true federalism and a new constitution agreed at a completely unfettered sovereign national conference.”

He also suggested that the government should introduced a short-term stop gap measure where-in the Niger/ Delta altercations can be amicably resolved at a conference to be supervised by prominent Nigerians and civil society groups.

There is more to this than meets the eyes, i wonder why they did not go on inter tribal war with the hausas after the just recent jos crisis. They should come out now and say it clearly which particular tribe in the south south they want to fight or will they also attack the parts of ondo states that belongs to naija delta?.

It is high time we stop dealing with this people because they are really enemies of progress, Today they will support mend when it is only restricted to niger-delta but as soon as it affected them they have switched sides quickly.

I think they should be reminded that they do not have the capacity to fight outside their region, I am just pissed of by all these Yoruba this Yoruba that as if south west is an independent state with full sovereignty within Nigeria.

Are Yoruba citizens not part of JTF that is destroying Niger-Delta, Raping women and girls, totally blocking the waterways for the community to fish thereby limiting their livelihood and economy. So many places in the niger delta have been destroyed by the military which the yorubas also belong like odi and recently gbaramatu kingdoms and what happended nothing.

we were still going by our idealogy of fighting the FG which attacking atlas cove was part of and suddenly the yorubas are talking.

Let me stop here and hear what the yorubas are going to say because they have been hiding since this thread came up.

Aloy.Emeka:

OPC will fight back if… — Fasehun
BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Barely 48 hours after the Lagos state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fasola (SAN) condemned the attack on the Atlas Cove jetty in Lagos by Movement for the Emancipation of Niger /Delta (MEND), president and founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr Frederick Fasehun has cautioned that a repeat of such incident in any part of Yoruba land will attract severe retaliation.


Dr Fasehun noted at a press conference in Lagos that his investigations revealed that the attack on the jetty as claimed by MEND was carried out by a dissident group within the movement.

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/jul/18/315.html



Dr. Frederick Fasehun, Founder and President of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) addressed a press conference on the recent bombing of the Atlas Cove in Lagos. Photo shows, R-L, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, Founder and President of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) addressing the press with Engr. Tunde Odulesi, Chairman OPC, Lagos. Photo by Sylva Eleanya.

He however said that any slight attack by any group against Yoruba people and its territory would be regarded as an affront against Yoruba people, which will not be tolerated.

According to him, Yoruba people, especially OPC, has always been sympathetic to the struggle and course of the people of the Niger/Delta. He wondered the latest attack on the Lagos Atlas Cove which he said was meant to punish the people of the South / West.

Fasehun lamented that majority of the casualties recorded at the scene of the incident were Yorubas.

“We viewed MEND’ss attack on the Atlas Cove with a measure of discomfort. That bombing left collateral damages not just on the key Federal Government facilities; it left deaths in its trail. Some lives and property lost were those of Yoruba people.

And as an organization sworn to defend Yoruba interest anywhere in this country, OPC will be behaving out of character and calling, if it keeps quite.”

He observed that though his group recognized “the environmental and socio economic devastations that engineered the Niger/ Delta struggles.”

He however, enjoined the fighters in MEND not to “take action directly or indirectly that will suggest that Yoruba land is under attack from agitators who should rather regard us as well wishers and mediators.”

Condemning the attack, he said if they (MEND) did not refrain from such attack in future, “MEND should know that OPC has the capacity to return fire for fire. So, MEND should not provoke any unnecessary crisis between us.”

The OPC leader also called on the Federal Government on its part to “begin the implementation of recommendations proffered by the several panels established on the Niger/ Delta, fro pre-independence to the 2008 Niger/ Delta technical committee headed by Ledum Mittee. We especially viewed the resting of the recommendations of the Ledum Mittee committee as flagrant demonstrations of insincerity on the part of the government.

“We request that the superlative resolutions of Mittee committee be unearthed and implemented immediately, as a matter of national emergency.”

He also called on the Federal Government to consider the issue of self determination and resource control “that motivated the struggles which must be settled with the introduction of true federalism and a new constitution agreed at a completely unfettered sovereign national conference.”

He also suggested that the government should introduced a short-term stop gap measure where-in the Niger/ Delta altercations can be amicably resolved at a conference to be supervised by prominent Nigerians and civil society groups.

opc will fight who?is it with cutlass laced with ropes?

OPC is talking of retaliation, which part of MEND are they going to attack? will Ondo state be part of it? Have they tried to find out if it was the Ondo Camp of MEND that attacked the ACJ.  
This is a complex situation and should be seen as one before they end up fighting each other thinking they are fighting the Ijaw people.

Don't mind these yeye OPC. If MEND attacks again, they will "throw" other warning[b]s[/b] and hold very many meetings.
If matters don't get resolved, it is likely that MEND will attack other targets in Lagos (especially if oil money is used to fix Atlas Cove).

im pretty sure MEND will piecessssssssss OPC. The militant are bloody and have stated earlier they would bring down the nigeria military with ease

Youngsters never hold gun finish, na elders wey want push them toward war. FG may be using these peeps for all we know. The latest in a line of increasingly desperate measures by Yar'Adua perhaps. YCE, please dont be fooled into being used as a pawn in the North's chess game.

MEND will be wise enough not to attack Lagos again not because of the fear of a reprisal attack but for the damaging effect it's going to have on their campaign(which is the negative campaign the F.G will start against their action)

sley4life:

im pretty sure MEND will piecessssssssss OPC. The militant are bloody and have stated earlier they would bring down the nigeria military with ease

There's no way MEND can bring down Nigeria Military, where were MEND when JTF was destroying some villages in Delta State? They should have come out to help their people. MEND might be powerful but they can never withstand Nigeria Military and that explains why MEND have been playing hit and run with Military.

oduduwa kia kia

hmm

philip0906:

opc will fight who?is it with cutlass laced with ropes?

                              ROTFLMAO

                Any way, the Yoruba politicians are just playing the normal politcal gimmick which is making stump speeches and press conferences
                just to impress the people.
               
                Someone just talked about inter tribal wars, who and who will fight for the Yoruba people,may be Billymuse, Becomrich and okokomeji.

                FYI, the destroyed facility belongs to the Nigeria government and not Lagos state/ yoruba people.

faoni572:

There's no way MEND can bring down Nigeria Military, where were MEND when JTF was destroying some villages in Delta State? They should have come out to help their people. MEND might be powerful but they can never withstand Nigeria Military and that explains why MEND have been playing hit and run with Military.

And that's the reason why MEND will surely defeat the Nigeria millitary. Dont forget that you are talking about a millitary agency
that has a grotesque intelligence operation. Even the so called Generals are stack illiterates who believes that their top positions
is an avenue for them to hustle and embezzle Government contracts.

Black_Revo:

There is more to this than meets the eyes,  i wonder why they did not go on inter tribal war with the hausas after the just recent jos crisis. They should come out now and say it clearly which particular tribe in the south south they want to fight or will they also attack the parts of ondo states that belongs to naija delta?.

It is high time we stop dealing with this people because they are really enemies of progress, Today they will support mend when it is only restricted to niger-delta but as soon as it affected them they have switched sides quickly.

I think they should be reminded that they do not have the capacity to fight outside their region, I am just pissed of by all these Yoruba this Yoruba that as if south west is an independent state with full sovereignty within Nigeria.

Are Yoruba citizens not part of JTF that is destroying Niger-Delta, Raping women and girls, totally blocking the waterways for the community to fish thereby limiting their livelihood and economy. So many places in the niger delta have been destroyed by the military which the yorubas also belong like odi and recently gbaramatu kingdoms and what happended nothing.

we were still going by our idealogy of fighting the FG which attacking atlas cove was part of and suddenly the yorubas are talking.

Let me stop here and hear what the yorubas are going to say because they have been hiding since this thread came up.

Was it the Yoruba or Obasanjo that destroyed Odi ?. Were there no Yorubas that condemned the Odi attack?. Why attack Yorubas when the heinous attacks on Odi was perpetrated by Obasanjo and his cronies. The soldiers that destroyed Odi as far as am concerned could be a mixture of igbos, Yorubas, hausas, itsekiri's, Ibibios, etc. So, why blame Yorubas for the actions of one wicked PRESIDENt that was planted by the North and may not hesitate to wipe out his kinsmen if needs be?

Aloy.Emeka:

Was it the Yoruba or Obasanjo that destroyed Odi ?. Were there no Yorubas that condemned the Odi attack?. Why attack Yorubas when the heinous attacks on Odi was perpetrated by Obasanjo and his cronies. The soldiers that destroyed Odi as far as am concerned could be a mixture of igbos, Yorubas, hausas, itsekiri's, Ibibios, etc. So, why blame Yorubas for the actions of one wicked PRESIDENt that was planted by the North and  may not hesitate to wipe out his kinsmen if needs be?

Good question my brother. But funny, the same sentiment did not apply with the Nzeogwu led coup as we were told that it's Igbo coup therefore Igbos must die. You have just remembered now that Obasanjo's action is not the action of Yorubas. I hope you will remember this your reasoning next time, you or anyone else talk about Igbo coup of 1966.

Eziachi:

Good question my brother. But funny, the same sentiment did not apply with the Nzeogwu led coup as we were told that it's Igbo coup therefore Igbos must die. You have just remembered now that Obasanjo's action is not the action of Yorubas.  I hope you will remember this your reasoning next time, you or anyone else talk about Igbo coup of 1966.

Don't mind negrotribalist.

[size=14pt]Blood may be thicker than water, but oil is surely thicker than either[Perry Anderson][/size].

oyinda.:

if i were mod I would have to enforce a quota on these tribalistic topics. they're just springing left n right and getting out of hand.  

Something is telling me that this week, Yorubas will be under severe attack on Nairaland from tribalist rebel bombers. It's been igbos for the past 3 weeks now. I also doubt the eminent Yoruba tribalist warlord, Lt Gen BecomeRich can contain these attacks. Time will tell.

Is lagos not part of nigeria anymore?This is a nigerian problem not just yorubas.

Whatever the case is, it is on record that MEND never expected these reactions and this is the first time a large cross-section of people will condemn MEND. _{Abukun ti nbo niyen}

Can bet they are wiser now. . .Aabo oro la nso fun omoluwabi, ti o ba denu e a di odi ndi