A group, the Oduduwa Development Initiative, has called for the cessation of the Yoruba Nation agitation, expressing the need for collective efforts to move Nigeria forward.
The National President of the group, Akinyele Olasunbo, made the call following the recent invasion of the Oyo State Government Secretariat in the Agodi area of Ibadan, Oyo State, by some Yoruba Nation agitators led by Modupe Onitiri-Abiola, widow of late MKO Abiola.
The agitators wearing military camouflage and armed with guns attempted to hoist their flag on the premises of the state House of Assembly located inside the secretariat.
About 29 members of the group have been arrested by the Oyo State Police command while the state government, has also demolished a building where the Yoruba Nation agitators, were said to be operating from.
This was as the leading activists of the Yoruba Nation, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, and Professor Banji Akintoye distanced themselves from the invasion.
Speaking, Olasunbo said, “I don’t think anyone should be disturbing himself at this point than to just join hands to make Nigeria move forward. Everyone should join the New Hope agenda of Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to succeed. I think they should shun this agitation and go and rest for now.”
On his part, National Secretary, Campaign for Democracy, Mr Olufemi Lawson who acknowledged that the agitation for self-determination was legitimate, said there was a need for such to follow lawful processes.
He said, “The call for self-determination is not illegitimate. People can come together and decide they don’t want to be part of a nation anymore, but such must follow a legitimate process.”
Speaking further, Lawson condemned the attempted breach of government facilities, describing the invasion of the secretariat as an act of lawlessness carried out by people who were ignorant of the law.
He expressed relief that the Yoruba Nation agitators had distanced themselves from the unauthorised actions, attributing the incident to illiteracy and manipulation by opportunistic individuals.