FEATURE - Yoruba People Bid To Draw Nigerian Leader's Attention To Ongoing Crackdown On Ethnic Group

A socio-political organization representing the interests of the Yoruba people in Nigeria and abroad Omo Oduduwa Worldwide has sent an open letter to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari in a bid to draw his attention to the group's growing discontent over the deprivation of the Yoruba people's inalienable rights

JOHANNESBURG (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd March, 2021) A socio-political organization representing the interests of the Yoruba people in Nigeria and abroad Omo Oduduwa Worldwide has sent an open letter to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari in a bid to draw his attention to the group's growing discontent over the deprivation of the Yoruba people's inalienable rights.

Against the backdrop of ongoing killings, rapes and kidnappings with no one brought to account, the group does not believe that the restructuring of Nigeria's political system or the constitutional reform proposed by the sitting head of state will change the situation. This is just a mere farce and not in the interest of the Yoruba people who have consistently suffered discrimination, nepotism, bigotry and subjugation by the Nigerian government, the group said in a letter.

"We do not fit into your agenda of Fulanism of Nigeria," the international group said in the letter, referring to a widespread idea that representatives of another ethnic group � Fulani � in fact, govern the African nation and seek to turn it into a Fulani state.

The Yoruba is an ethnic group made up of over 70 million people spread across three out of six geopolitical zones of Nigeria � South-West, South-South and North-Central. Omo Oduduwa Worldwide was established for the liberation of the Yoruba region, which spans the territories of the modern countries of Nigeria, Togo, and Benin. The Yoruba people describe themselves as sophisticated, educated and well exposed enough to stand on their own.

The president and founder of the group, Oluwaseyi Daniel Ogunyemi, strongly believes they have what it takes to govern themselves and develop a prosperous and forward-looking country. Ogunyemi demands that all indigenous Yoruba people working in any parastatal agencies, ministries and departments of the current Federal government, as well as all Yoruba businesses, be allowed to relocate to any Yoruba state.

The incumbent Nigerian president is a representative of the Fulani ethnic group, one of the largest ethnic groups in the Sahel and West Africa, which lives in all the 36 states in Nigeria. Since all big Nigerian tribes have their exclusive languages, the Fulani people are united by a unique language called Fetfulde.

Talking to Sputnik, Ogunyemi reiterated the Yoruba's will to secede from Nigeria and be recognized in their region, adding that the so-called Yoruba Nation is present in the western part of the country but dominant in the northern part.

"We need our own security. Nigeria is not working anymore. It is dormant, academically, financially and security wise. Buhari has done nothing for the people. We are pushing that ... the election [come] in 2023, there be not a single Nigerian appearing on the election post, there will not be an election, we will achieve this all by protests," Ogunyemi said.

According to the international group's founder, the Nigerian authorities are trying to ensure that the African nation is not educated by converting the country into islam and attempting to frustrate Western efforts.

"The president must understand that Yoruba needs the AU [the African Union] and EU and must help, as the Yoruba people are fed up. We have sent our letter to the UK embassy. Yoruba nation concludes that Nigeria is no longer viable," Ogunyemi added.

The group leader went on to describe the violence Nigerians from the Yoruba ethnic group who live abroad face upon returning to their homeland. Most of them complain that whenever they visit their home country they are greeted with hostility. This is the result of abduction by terrorists demanding ransom and after receiving it, they kill the victims.

"Yoruba people are beheaded in the north of the country. The vice president of the country [Yemi Osinbajo] is a Yoruba but he is useless in the sense that he is just ceremonial. He is unable to help us," Ogunyemi revealed.

NO HOPE FOR YORUBA'S SECESSION IN FUTURE

Lagos-based political analyst Chidi Lemchi told Sputnik no fundamental change entailing Yoruba's secession was expected in the future. Since President Buhari took office in 2015, ethnic and tribal tensions have been on the rise, exacerbated by opportunities directed to the Fulani group.

"As for secession, they are bluffing. It will not happen their way. President Buhari gave top jobs to people of his tribe, causing unrest and distrust among the various tribes in Nigeria. The president's often reluctance to rebuking people of his tribe has made people of other tribes think he does not care about them. What must also be noted is that it is not all Yoruba people feel that way, it is a section. Another thing which has exacerbated the situation is the president's inability to lead by example and making key appointments based on tribe and religion," Lemchi said.

Ugochukwu Obidigwe, a Nigerian-born political studies master's degree student at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, in turn, believes that the secession is not a solution to the ongoing violence. He told Sputnik that in Nigeria, there were a number of groups that advocated for self-determination, and cited the people of the Republic of Biafra � a secessionist state in West Africa that existed from May 1967 to January 1970 during the Nigerian Civil War � as an example.

"Tribes often want independence but the government is in control and often ... leaders of these groups do not live in Nigeria, and those fighting for them in Nigeria end up as victims. I do not believe in the call made by Omo Oduduwa Worldwide process, because even in the war of the Biafrans and the Fulanis � Fulanis always win ... In all of this, violence is a problem, we must rather address the issue of violence, rape and kidnappings and bring an end to ethnic chaos. Secession, it is not a solution," Obidigwe said.

Obidigwe suggested that Buhari sought to change Nigeria into a Fulani state, noting that Fulani attacks on Yoruba people are most of the time politically motivated.