Yoruba Leaders Pick June 12 As Referendum Date For Yoruba Nation |The Source

By Akinwale Kasali

On Thursday, 25th March, 2021, several Yoruba groups under the aegis of Assembly of all Yoruba Groups Worldwide met in Ibadan, Oyo State Capital, to navigate the future of the Yoruba Nation. For this, they have chosen June 12, 2021, as a day of referendum for the South-West region.

Recall that June 12 is a significant date in Nigeria’s march to democracy. It was the day the a Yoruba son, Chief MKO Abiola won the Presidential election which was cancelled by the Military under then Military President, Ibrahim Babangida. Since then, a couple of SW observe the day as public holiday, while marking it as Democracy Day. In 2020, the President Muhammadu Buhari Government also adopted the day as Democracy Day.

It is symbolic, therefore, that  these Yoruba Groups chose June 12 as the day for a referendum on  Yoruba Nation – to be or not to be.

At the meeting tagged “The Paramountcy of Yoruba Unity in Tackling The Insecurity Menace in Yorubaland”, it was unanimously agreed by members present that the Yoruba Nation and Self Determination is non negotiable.

Otunba Deji Osibogun, reading the agreement of the leaders at the meeting in a statement said it was necessary for the Yoruba people, especially the elites, to return home and protect their land from invaders.

The meeting also tasked every House of Assembly in the South-West to pass a resolution on the state of insecurity in Yorubaland.

The groups called on members representing Yoruba constituencies in the Senate and House of Representatives to move a motion on insecurity in Yorubaland within the next 90 days, precisely June 25.

They urged Yoruba groups to organise relief materials for Fulani ravaged victims while a Yoruba Central Coordinating Council was also proposed.

Yoruba leader, Prof. Banji Akintoye, who was represented by Tunde Hamzat, noted that the call for Yoruba self-determination should not be misconstrued as secession, but the call to stop the anomalies and the abuse on the Yorubas.

Akintoye said the Yoruba nation will be achieved peacefully through the building of a consensus and mobilisation of the people.

Also speaking, Ambassador Yemi Farounbi stressed that Yoruba people should be ready to defend themselves against threats to their lives.

He charged all Yoruba individuals and groups to bring to bear their intellect, assets, and knowledge for the cause of the Yoruba nation.

In the same vein, Human Rights Activist, Femi Falana, SAN, spoke on the need to urgently restructure Yorubaland.

He called on the Yoruba people to take charge of their affairs and ensure the development of the Yoruba nation.

He urged Yoruba nation to embrace ranching as it was in the times of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the first Premier of the region, and end the clashes between Herders and Farmers.