2023: Yoruba Elders Scribe Sues For Caution Among Supporters Of Presidential Aspirants

By Ayodele Oni

The Secretary General of the Yoruba Council of Elders, Dr Kunle Olajide, has advised that everything must be done to prevent a re-enactment of orgy of violence in the South-West.

According to him, supporters of some presidential aspirants have started making incendiary comments ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

The Yoruba leader is apparently referring to exchange of words between supporters of main Presidential aspirants from the region, Bola Tinubu and Yemi Osinbajo.

He said in a statement that: “I was a student at the University of Ibadan. I was around in Ibadan then.

“I saw what happened. It’s a long time now but I don’t pray we witness such again. It was horrible.

“Those controlling the Federal Government at that time wanted to force Western Region’s citizens to align with them. That was what led to the wanton killings and destruction of property in the entire region.

“There was (the late) Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola and there was (the late) Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

“There was the Action Group and the Nigerian National Democratic Party and, of course, the Yoruba were pro-Awolowo hundred per cent and they saw Akintola as a traitor, who was going to sell them to the northerners.

“Yoruba people were solidly behind the Action Group led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the then Federal Government wanted to use the federal might to compel victory for their own party, which was in the minority.

“That was what provoked some people in the Western Region at that time to begin to set ablaze houses, vehicles and human beings.

“They targeted the tiny supporters of this minority group in the region and that was what basically caused Operation Wet e and the region was thrown into an orgy of violence.