By Ayo Kehinde
Chief Ayo Adebanko
The Yoruba Summit Group, the body for all Yoruba groups have met and taken a stand on the recent Presidential directive on the revocation of gun licenses in the country in a bid by the Federal Government to address the serious insecurity challenges faces every part of the country.
President Muhammadu Buhari on May 22 signed into law with executive powers to remove, revoke, banish all firearm or shotgun certificate or license in Nigeria.
The executive order will start from 1st June 2019.
Reacting to the new law the Yoruba group, which met in Adebanjo’s house at the weekend debated the new law and after an exhaustive discussion drew up a communiqué. Mogaji Gboyega Adejumo signed it for and on behalf of the Yoruba Summit Group.
It acknowledge and supported the statement made by former President Obasanjo “on the existential threat to others by the clear and present danger of the well documented acts of those hell bent on dominating the rest… through” full Fulanisation and genocide.”
It called on “all Yorùbá men and women as they occur in the core 6 states and in two other states of Kwara and Kogi, to begin begin the serious effort of defending themselves against the very clear intent of genocide, deprivation, arson, killings, kidnappings with every means available to them.
“This is a call to all, irrespective of the established methods of seeking redress. The act of self- defense is safely international. Everyone has a right to protect himself against threats to life and property.
It said the Yoruba Summit Group “owes it a duty to protect the 50 million strong Yoruba within the Yoruba space, and by this communique, every Yoruba is reminded of his right to life, of his right to property, of his right to defend himself with the Yoruba central authority, the Yoruba Summit Group, in full endorsement of these rights available to every Yoruba, calls now upon every Yoruba not to live in fear anymore.
“As it is the security agencies as presently constituted lopsidedly have failed the non-fulani peoples of Nigeria, therefore the Yoruba central authority sanctions this legitimate.
That the Yoruba people collectively will hold on strongly and steadfastly to these resolves in as much as our collectively survival rests on us and on no one else; the leaders, elders and the generality of our people, for the common cause to confront all challenges of insecurity including genocide.
The group in the communiqué urged the President to consider reversing some what they termed some of his actions and body language, which tend to give credence to the allegation that he is supporting his ethnic group to the detriment of other groups in the country.
“He will need to stop paying, pandering, pampering to the Fulani as we note the establishment of an exclusive Fulani radio station, the rumored payment of a N100 billion incentive to more criminality, to Miyetti Allah and the enforcement of the Fulani sense of ownership to the land of the indigenous peoples of Nigeria.”
“Let the president know that the Yoruba do not want war, but we will definitely defend ourselves should these instances of unprovoked attacks by the Fulani continue.”
Present at the meeting were the host and patron, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Supo Sonibare, Senator Femi Okurounmu, Mrs Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu Mr Yinka Odumakin, Bashorun Akin Osuntokun, Professor Banji Akintoye, Dr Akingba, Mr Eric Oluwole, Evangelist Kunle Adesokan, Chief Olaitan Barrister Demola Folarin, Barrister Tunde Odanye, Alagba Jimoh Aliu, Chief Mrs Bola Doherty, Chief Bode George, Mr Akin Àjọṣe-Adeogun, Otunba Deji Osibogun, Chief Tokunbo Ajasin, Mogaji Gboyega Adejumo, the representative of The 15th Ààrẹ Ọ̀nà Kakaǹfò of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams.
