By Akinwale Kasali

Leaders of Pan Yoruba and Itsekiri Groups have called for collective action against threats of terrorism and religious intolerance being promoted by divisive people within and outside the South West including Kogi, Kwara and Yoruba speaking areas of Edo and Delta states.

The over 100 Pan Yoruba Groups met in Lagos on Tuesday to navigate the future in the South West. And to address the insecurity bedeviling the region.

It also stressed on the need to create a united front in the promotion of peace and unity, hereby calling for a halt to attacks between supporters of Yoruba Generalissimo, Aare Ona Kakanfo, Iba Gani Adams and Sunday Adeyemi, popular as  Igboho, who currently leads a security outfit, Iru Ekun.

The Conveners of the meeting were notable International Award Winning Journalist Adewale Adeoye, Chief Adekunle Adesokan and Alhaji Jubril Ogundimu as they identified terrorism, inter-group conflict between Igboho and Gani Adams supporters, poverty, lack of electricity, growing religious intolerance and conscious promotion of division among the people of the South West, sometimes by external interests as major threats to the survival of Yoruba Nation.

The Groups also warned Christian, Muslim and traditional worshipers in the region not to allow faith extremism to take firm roots in any territory in the South West.

The meeting was attended by the notable leaders of Pan Yoruba and self determination groups including Aare Ona Kakanfo Gani Adams,  representatives of Prof Banji Akintoye and Sunday Igboho, Afenifere Renewal Group, (ARG), Oodua Peoples Congress, (New Era), O’odua Peoples Congress, (Reform),Apapo Oodua Koya, (AOKOYA), Yoruba Council of Elders, (YCE), Agbekoya, Oodua Nationalist Coalition, (ONAC), Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC-Reformed), Oodua Liberation Movement, (OLM), Oodua Peoples Congress, (Faseun), Itsekiti National Congress, (INC), Think Yoruba First among many others.

Participants came from the Six South West States of Lagos, Ogun, Kwara, Kogi, Osun, Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, parts of Edo and Delta States.

In the communique signed by Adeoye, Adesokan and Ogundimu, the groups said it was concerned that Nigeria and the entire world is passing through different forms of conflict and that in Nigeria, the upsurge of violence, terrorism and extremism constitute real danger;

It said that Yoruba territories are ravaged by external invasion led by extremists, terrorists and armed gangs that rape, kill, kidnap and destroy the livelihood of Yoruba people;

It expressed worry that in the past few years, there have been unnecessary divisions, inter-group friction and the sponsor of hate by internal and external interests in Yorubaland which comes in the form of faith-driven hate speeches which threaten the long standing culture of religious freedom in Yorubaland.

The Groups expressed worry about attacks on Yoruba leaders of self determination groups either within or without including but not limited to unwarranted attacks on Iba Gani Adams, Professor Banji Akintoye, Igboho, leaders of O’odua Peoples Congress, Iru-Ekun and others;

It said the social media have become weapons for the distortion and destruction of Yoruba/Itsekiri history, values and heritage.

The groups in its resolution said that all Pan Yoruba/Self determination groups agree to work together for Peace Prosperity and Harmony in Yoruba/Itsekiri land for utilitarian value of the children of Oduduwa all over the world.

 That attacks on Aare Gani Adams, Professor Banji Akintoye, Sunday Ighoho and leaders of other Pan Yoruba/Self Determination leaders must henceforth stop.

That Oduduwaland oppose all forms of extremism, upholds the  long tradition of religious freedom and tolerance.

Delegates call for a halt to intra- religion stone-throwing including attacks targeting leaders of traditional faith, Christians, Muslims and freethinkers in Oduduwa territories. That the time-tested philosophy of our people is that God is the only one entitled to fight for God.

Some of the attacks are sponsored by external anti-Yoruba elements; the participants agree that all Pan Yoruba groups must work together to halt any form of dispute or confrontation that undermines the past, present and future of Yorulaand. Henceforth, there should not be any further social media or by any other means, attacks against each other.

It added that any group or individual that goes against this position will be seen as undermining peace and unity in Yorubaland.

Traditional rulers are urged to respect themselves, uphold the Yoruba heritage, promote unity and stop spreading divisive information across Yorubaland.

Traditional rulers were also called on to commit their time and energy to the upliftment of the social, cultural and economic conditions of their people instead of concentrating on petty rivalry that undermine the dignity associated with their ancestral throne.

As regards the spate of insecurity, the communique adopted condemned insecurity across Yorubaland and urge the State and Federal Governments to take decisive actions  of which is the speedy implementation of State Police in the shortest time possible.

It also agree to work together, and set up network with Yoruba/Itsekiri people across the entire South West including Itsekiri, Kwara, Kogi  and Yoruba speaking areas in Edo State for collective Political, Economy and Cultural integration and freedom from internal and external threats.

As a direct response to insecurity, participants called for  community defence by Yoruba/Itsekiri indigenous peoples.

Participants also express support for Democracy and criticise any anti democratic moves to subvert the will of the people.

It however call for free, fair and credible election which is the ground-mark of sustainable development.

It, however, expressed solidarity with Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, (DAWN) and calls on the South West States to support the remarkable achievements of DAWN.

It also call for greater integration of the South West with Kogi, Kwra, Edo, Itsekiri of the Niger-Delta through concrete regional projects including the development of Warri – Lagos water and railways ways transportation for effective Economic, Cultural integration of Itsekiri and the South West States.

The Groups strongly condemned the increasing rate of poverty in Yoruba territories compounded by the lack of electricity and the wicked exploitation of Yoruba people by DISCOs whose services were designed to exploit and underdeveloped Yorubaland.

It states that the  DISCOs are incompetent, they are enemies of Yoruba people. Their self seeking  activities, driven by primitive accumulation of wealth, constitute a dangerous, perilous threat to sustainable economic development of Yoruba territories;

The meeting assert commitment to ethnic self determination as entrenchment in the United Nations Charter adding that it is the only way for Yoruba political, economic and cultural freedom.

Groups agree on the setting up of Working Group on Peace Building and Conflict Prevention in Western Nigeria to be made of of the conveners which should be expand the committee.

The Committee is to meet all warring groups to ensure peace, harmony and co-existence among Pan Yoruba groups.

Delegates were representatives of Oodua Youth Movement, (OYM), Agbekoya, Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, Ilana Omo Oodua led Prof Banji Akintoye’s,  Coalition of Oodua Self Determination Groups, (COSEG), Oodua Peoples Congress, (Iba Gani Adams), Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movement, (AYDM), Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC-New Era); Yoruba Self Determination Movement, (YSDM); Oodua International Democratic Movement, (OIDEM); Yoruba Artisan and Traders Association, (YATA); South West Mechanics Association, (SWMEA); Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC-Reformed); Federation for Yoruba Consciousness and Culture, (FYCC); O’odua Republic Front, (ORF); Afenifere Youth Movement, (AFYM); Apapo Omo Oodua,  Oodua Peoples Congress-Faseun); Yoruba Revolutionary Movement, (YOREM), Afenifere Renewal Group, (ARG); Yoruba Council Worldwide, (YCW); Ibile Movement, Oodua National Congress, (ONC); O’odua Liberation Movement, (OLM); Oodua Women Media; Apapo Oodua Koya, (AOKOYA); Yoruba Nation; Think Yoruba First; United Self Determination Groups, (USEPO); South West Retire Officers Forum, (SWEROF) and many others.