Nigeria’s Ethnic Groups Clamour For Self-Determination; Lawyers Ask ECOWAS To Intervene |The Source

By Ayodele Oni

The Oodua Action Movement (OAM), has appealed to the President of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to intervene in the quest by ethnic groups for self autonomy within the Nigeria nation.

OAM, which is one of the groups clamouring for self independence for the Yoruba nation, said President Muhammadu Buhari has refused to take action on the demand for autonomy for the Yoruba race.

Writing through one of its Solicitors, Oranmiyo Biobakun, the group noted that series of letters had been sent to President Muhammadu Buhari demanding for self-determination and autonomy for the Yoruba people from Nigeria in accordance with the resolution and provisions of the United Nations Charter.

The petition, a copy of which was made available to the media in Akure, quoted the General Assembly Resolution 1514 (1960) which states that “all peoples have the right to self-determination; by virtue of that right they may freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

“In addition, Article 20 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights pointedly states that” All peoples shall have the right to existence and also have the unquestionable and inalienable right to self-determination among others.”

OAM pointed out that there has been a clamour for the autonomy of the constituent nationalities which comprise the Yoruba people of the South-west, the people of the Middle-belt, and the Biafra people of the Eastern region.

It pointed out that the Yoruba  with over 60 million people, have expressed their desire to peacefully leave the purported amalgamation midwifed by the British in 1914.

The purported amalgamation, the group emphasised, did not involve any of the constituent regions of the nationalities making up Nigeria.

The petition faulted the Constitution of Nigeria 1999, which does not provide for any procedure to opt out of the British amalgamated units called Nigeria.

“Usually, most modern constitutions contain provisions for referenda or plebiscite which often forms the platform to gauging the interest of the people as recognised under international law.”

The group noted that recent protests by the youths were the climax of a long-drawn face-off with the government on variety of obvious socio-political issues, such as wanton killings, attacks by herdsmen, raping of women and girls by Boko Haram, increasing and deadly brutality by the police controlled by the federal government.

Added to this was the recent disruption of the peaceful protests by the combined team of the police and the army.

The group called on the African Union and the ECOWAS to rise to the festering civil strife that seems to be looming in Nigeria.

It noted that: “An upsurge of refugees from Nigeria to any African nation at this period of global economic meltdown will be catastrophic.

“We are not oblivious to the disdain some Nigerians are being treated even by neighbouring African countries. It will therefore be good for African leaders to eschew sentiments and intervene in this matter now.

“It is in view of the above that we are appealing to you to encourage a roundtable meeting between the federal government and the representatives of OAM at probably the secretariat of the ECOWAS in Accra, Ghana.”

OAM expressed the belief that an intervention  by ECOWAS would bring succour not only to the good people of the Southwest, but also to other regions clamouring for self- determination and autonomy.

At a recent forum in Kaduna organized by Arewa, Ekiti state Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, in a lecture titled *Unfinished Greatness, Towards a more Perfect Union*, was of the view that the amalgamation of Nigeria by British imperialists was a right step in a right direction.