Guestlander:


I don't think it is rare at all in the Yoruba nation. We achieve whatever we set our minds to achieve. History will bear us witness on that. If we decide to leave Nigeria, be rest assured Nigeria is finished. We are not ibos.

Guestlander:


I'm not sure I read it anywhere in the post where violence was mentioned. There you go again being dishonest.
If Yoruba no longer wish to be part of the federation which is not what the advert is saying then I challenge you to come and stop them with your "superior firepower"

Sprumbabafather:


Did you or your people remember people had a life and could die when you are backing the wrong horse in 2015?

We screamed, we shouted ourselves hoarse, we tried everything to make you see reason but you were fixated like a hypnotised person on the greed of being the VP.

Now after a wrecked economy, high fuel prices, hopelessness and uncountable murders of innocent people, you guys are trying to pull a fast one on us by shouting restructuring?

Whoever trusts your people will be betrayed.

nextstep:


Two things:

1. What does "give me what I want or else..." mean? If the Federal Government refuses to restructure, didn't the article mention using all means to achieve its aim? Let's not play naiive... violence is implied. Even a child understand what this threat means... an ass wuppin.

2. Let's be serious. The Federal Government has superior firepower, and when the chips are down, the UN respects firepower much more than it respects documents and declarations (as history has shown). In other words, if Oduduwa is serious, he should arm himself very very very well.

nextstep:


Uh huh... and none of them will be willing to take up arms and lose their lives to defend this secession they are planning. Did they consult with the millions of people who will die (due to starvation, violence, illness) before making this irresponsible advert? Will they volunteer their own children to fight for the cause, or will they put them aboard planes for the safety of someplace abroad?

How long will our leaders at various levels continue to stoke the embers of violence from the comfort of their air-conditioned homes, and in some cases, from the safety of some European city?

And it's even worse: a Yoruba federation will find soon itself fighting for supremacy, just as Yorubaland was in the midst of a long period of civil war from 1830s to 1886.

The main thrust of the article is unemployment. Why not channel all the monies from these so-called leaders into creating factories and opportunities in Yorubaland? Is restructuring or secession going to automatically provide jobs and create industries? Can people from Yorubaland not sacrifice and not import foreign things (starting with rice, tin tomato), and instead promote locally-produced goods, no matter the quality? (at least to start). Is restructuring or secession going to automatically provide jobs and create industries? What about all the diaspora? Can't leaders in Yorubaland create special zones/estates for returnees to come and contribute in safety?

Let's even assume that the process will be entirely peaceful, and we can sidestep the years of violence and needless deaths, the funds to build/rent embassies, mint new currency, establish/convert parastatals, etc. to basically start a new government from scratch... could that not create a few really big factories to provide employment? Could that not provide loans to farmers to improve their yields? Could that not establish world class hospitals and research companies?

We like to howl restructuring and breakup far too often, because we don't really think through all the pluses and minuses. Even the money for this advert could have been better spent as grants to 10 young men/women to start a few garri-processing SME.

DerideGull:
Yari.ba majorly contributed to the unstructured Nigeria. Nigeria is dysfunctional today because Yari.ba played a cowardly hand in 1966. I guess this demeanor could not be unrelated to the fact that most Yari.ba people were under certain emirates.

Guestlander:


Where is Nnamdi Kanu? What happened to Biafra or death? I bet Kanu eventually chose death and killed himself.

vigasimple:


With all due respect, you come across as a pessimist short term thinker.

The country has endured the present system for over 50years. Maybe it is time to try new thing.

The people asking for restructure are all well over 65years, so, not only they have the experience, but they are in their retirement years, they are fighting for the youth future.

They have set out their points and warn them Yoruba youths not to vote for a joke called Buhari, they did not listen, now they are paying the price.

A one million Buhari cannot rescue the youths of Nigeria because he hasn't got what it takes to do so.

Kudos to the Elders. They have said there own on record, whether or not the youths follows , it is their own future and it's up to them.

nextstep:


I don't have anything against restructuring. What I'm against is this threat of "restructure or we break apart". OK, so the Federal Government refuses to restructure (based on it's interpretation and responsibility to the existing Constitution). Then what? Violence? Those seem to be the only options presented by "restructure or we leave".

I'm not saying people don't have a right to self-determination, but those who are clamoring for it are also calling for the other things that have historically come with political upheaval... and cynically, I'm pointing out that those who signed these papers won't be the ones bearing arms, suffering the loss of children, being killed or starving. More to the point, were the signatories elected/chosen by the masses to represent them and force them into something? You'll find that most Nigerians, no matter where, just want opportunities to thrive, no matter the country they happen to be in. Restructuring, in and of itself will not answer their prayers: the LGA chairmen, governors, reps, senators from Yorubaland today, what have they done to address unemployment in a serious, systematic fashion? How will things be different when it's these same people who will hold office in a restructured country?

I've also mentioned that there was a long civil war in Yorubaland from 1830's to 1886, (that helped weaken it for colonial takeover), which should caution those who think that Oduduwa Republic will suddenly be the best place on Earth. Recent conflicts and historical slights between (for example) Ekiti people and Ondo people illustrate that it won't be a bed of roses either. In other words: there's really no point in restructuring because the underlying problems are still there: poverty/unemployment.

I'm also noting that there are far better ways to provide employment opportunities than restructuring (since employment is the main thrust of the advert), and that even after restructuring, the monies spent on that effort could have been better spent employing people, today.

usba:
Joblessness at its peak. If they had a shred of integrity they would have approached their representatives to introduce areas of restructuring but once again they assume Nigeria is a dictatorship where the president can just order reatructure and it is. The sort of unseriousness is money wasted on an advert.

usba:
Joblessness at its peak. If they had a shred of integrity they would have approached their representatives to introduce areas of restructuring but once again they assume Nigeria is a dictatorship where the president can just order reatructure and it is. The sort of unseriousness is money wasted on an advert.

Guestlander:


How come a PHD holder led ibos to reject a secession clause in the constitution! Papa Awo saw what could happen. Perhaps they shouldn't have called it a secession clause but a "break of agreement clause" which states that any undemocratic change in the Constitution will render it null and void.

zendy:


Reall?

Well, let us see Yorubas come and get restructuring from the North.

tosyne09:
Nations that get better never get better because politicians wanted it but because the people wanted it. so many will make noise on social medias even like we are doing here. how many of us can chase the government to do what is right? politicians will always play their games. so forget restructuring unless it is charge by people like those who signed this advert. if you think the advert is meaningless, just wait and see.

konoplyanka:


Which is easier between restructuring and wrestling power from the military?

CampuChan:
Àgbà kìí wà l’ójà k’órí omo tuntun wó

Did you see the ad on page 25 of Punch newspapers today? If you didn't, you need to.

Yorubas are calling for Restructuring before 2019 elections or they would leave the Federation.
Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB were saying the same thing for past few years.

Glad SW intellectuals are gradually standing up and please check the number of Professors, Doctors, Architects, SANs, Pastors etc that signed the advert.

usba:
Joblessness at its peak. If they had a shred of integrity they would have approached their representatives to introduce areas of restructuring but once again they assume Nigeria is a dictatorship where the president can just order reatructure and it is. The sort of unseriousness is money wasted on an advert.

namdo:
why has it been hard for our southern politicians to pursue a change of this military northern constitution of 1999 into something truly nationally progressive? Ironically maybe most of these southern politicians do not know that the present constitution was written by the 'north' to favor the north (yet they are massively impoverished). I suggest the south/middle belt pull resources together and 'fight' this out maybe using the 2014 conference as a first reference/step. If we are able to come together this bondage can be broken. Let the SW/SS/SE/MB meet since they are much more progressive in nature than the core north who seem to be satisfied with the status quo.

CampuChan:
Check out the signatories. It's like who is who in Yoruba land.

blacknp:
It is quite obvious you are a social and economical failure who hasn't read the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as Amended. Lazy Donkey.

namdo:
You lack comprehension. What makes you think I have not read the constitution. Just because you obviously do not grasp my point which points to entrenching changes for national development into the constitution using the political resources of the progressive regions should not give you the impetus to insult me. Asshole.
Note: I will not honour you with further reply no matter any insult you may have.

Sprumbabafather:
Only on one condition,

All the Doctors and professors who signed that paper must tender an unreserved apology for being deceived to vote a person who didn't pass WASC

Anyway, till we hear from Nnamdi Kanu, its Buharri till 2089

PrecisionFx:



So how come the who is who in yoruba land have been quiet for so long

If they brought their A game wen the biafra issue was hot, We would have gotten a reasonable restructure by now.

TheFreeOne:
I'm 100% in support of VOR.

Considering the calibre of Yoruba elders involved I'll say real life is coming into the quest for restructuring and should that fail then the needful becomes imminent.

Current political class have shown they are only interested in personal aggrandizement, interests and filling their stomachs like animals instead of insisting on the right thing. And since selfish interests have taken the best of reason and justice then Nigeria can never be great with present faulty structure/constitution that favors the 'north'.

Oodua a gbe wa o.