Nigeria must restructure or break up, Yoruba leaders
Oodua Republic not negotiable-says YOLICOM
By Ayo Adekunle, Ibadan
Yoruba leaders from all shades have called for the immediate restructuring of Nigeria if the country is to avoid imminent break up. This represents the aggregate opinion of a cross section of leaders that spoke at the Pan Yoruba summit held at the Adamasingba stadium in the historic city of Ibadan, known for being the political capital of the Yoruba people.
The event, organized by several Pan Yoruba groups including the Afenifere, Oodua Peoples’ Congress, (OPC), O’odua Nationalist Coalition, (ONAC), Atayese, Oodua Liberation Movement, (OLM), Federation for Yoruba Consciousness and Culture, (FYCC) amongst others drew thousands of participants from the Yoruba speaking states of Ekiti, Lagos, Ondo, Kogi, Osun, Oyo, Kwara, parts of Edo and Itsekiri. Some Yoruba also came from across the entire West African sub-region.
“It is the biggest most recent gathering of Yoruba people in this era,” said Pa Ayo Adebanjo one of the motivators behind the event. At the event were the governors of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, represenatatives of the governors of Oyo, Osun, Lagos and Ondo States and the Itsekiri from the Niger-Delta area. The Vice President, Prof “Yemi Osinbajo also sent representatives. Leaders of Ohanaeze, Chief Nnia Nwodo and several leaders from the South South attended the well organized event.
Speaking on the state of the nation, the organisers lamented the economic and political crises rocking the country “evidenced by the highest global percentage of children out-of-school in excess of 15 million; largest internally displaced persons (IDPs) in a country not at war and 72 percent poverty level in 2016 and still increasing.” The group lamented on the influx of millions of people escaping from economic hardship into the South West and the serious implication for the wellbeing and security of the people.
The group called for six regions, each of which should have her own constitution with exclusive matters preserved for each of the regions.
In a twist, the Yoruba Liberation Command, (YOLICOM) displayed numerous placards asking for Oodua Republic. The spokesperson, Mr Opeolu Akinola told Irohinoodua that “Restructuring is too late for Nigeria.”
He said “We commend the efforts of the organisers. They have done a good job with what appears a common demand. For many Yoruba people, this is a good development. We have to go on the streets and organize our people. We have to move from press statements to the streets. But for YOLICOM, the idea of restructuring Nigeria is too late. What we want is Oduduwa Republic. That, for us, is the minimum demand. From what we have seen across Yorubaland, outright Oduduwa Republic is the way out.”
Leader of the O’odua Liberation Movement, (OLM) Mr Gbenga Awosode told the audience on Thursday. “We are here to tell the whole world the fears and aspirations of the entire Yoruba nation. We have seen the past, we experience the present and we can foresee the future. Nigeria should restructure now. Failure to restructure may lead to the break-up of the country”
Dr Amos Akingba, one of the Afenifere leaders said restructuring is the best way to save Nigeria from disintegration. He said “If you say Nigeria is not negotiable and the term and condition of our unity cannot be worked in line to our requirement, the question you ask should be is Nigeria working? Nigeria is not working in all the areas of our lives, we have been corrupted by the oppressors in our midst. Everybody is cutting corners.”

Thank God our yoruba brothers are getting wiser

Take it or leave it, Nnamdi Kanu is a hero, he has awakened a lot of interest in the Nigerian political space, things are no longer going to be the same henceforth, the people in the Hallowed chambers that voted against restructuring should bury their heads in shame, those that enjoy the status quo (like OBJ) that are against restructuring no matter how highly placed are simply enemies of state, it's good the Yoruba nation understand the need to restructure this country and have thrown their weight behind such calls, we enjoin other Nations to follow suit in the overall interest of this country.