Surrender to FG, Yoruba Nation is dead on arrival, Osun monarch tells Sunday Igboho
By Timothy Agbor, Osogbo
Olowu Of Owu-Kuta in Ayedire Local Government Area of Osun State, Oba Makama Oyelude, Tegbosun III, has advised Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, to give in to the Federal Government adding that agitation for Yoruba Nation was dead on arrival.
Recall that the Department of State Services had declared Adeyemo wanted and asked him to surrender himself for arrest at any security agency after raiding his residence in Ibadan and killing two of his supporters.
Addressing members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in the State, on Sunday, Oba Oyelude argued that no one dares the Federal Government and succeed.
The paramount Yoruba king of Owu kingdom admonished secession agitators to dialogue with the Federal Government and that it would be difficult for the Yoruba or any other region to cope with the internal disagreements that would arise after splitting.
He said, “I am not part of agitations for secession by separatists and unpatriotic Nigerians and I can’t be part of it. Even though Nigerian doesn’t favour all, we shouldn’t secede. Without consultations, you cannot be talking of secession and that’s why even the Obas are not discussing it.
“They (agitators) will find it difficult from seceding because it’s dead on arrival. Federal Government is the father of the nation and separatist movement is not a cheap struggle; It is like you are waging arms against the State. Sufferings, hardship and internal bickerings will greet regions that secede.
“Nobody dares face the Federal might and succeed. I will advise the agitators to dialogue with the Federal Government. They have had ample opportunity to do so now when it’s ripe. Sunday Igboho can give himself voluntarily to the Federal Government rather than they go to fish him out like Nnamdi Kanu. There is no place for him to hide,” the monarch declared.
Oba Oyelude said he was supporting calls for restructuring of the country and devolution of power to the federating units until recently when he discovered that State Governors refused to allow Local Government to enjoy autonomy.
He said the State Governors have stifled the Local Government operations and rendered the tier of government redundant. He therefore urged State Governors to allow Local Government to operate independently stressing that an organised Local Government was a panacea to the nation security challenges.
“Rather than calling for secession, I will support restructuring and devolution of power. Are we truly a federation? Defence, security, external affairs, that’s what the Federal Government should concern itself with while the State and Local Government manage the rest. But of late, I am not dispossed to that again. Even the Governors snifle life out of the local government areas.
“Let our Governors look inward and allow Local Government to have autonomy. Enough of this hire and fire approach. The State Governments have snifled the local government area and that’s why I agree with the Attorney General of the Federation, Malami, on his task to governors to allow autonomy in their states.
“I will support an holistic, clearly defined restructuring rather than secession. Local Government is the bedrock of every intelligence gathered in the grassroots and if the local government is well organised, then the problem of insecurity will be solved. If we don’t allow local government to have autonomy, security situations will continue to persist,” the monarch disclosed.
