Oduduwa News

The call for secession by some agitators seeking for the declaration of Oduduwa Republic has been likened to frustration by Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi.

He said this amid calls by some quarters for the breakaway of the South-West region from Nigeria and the establishment of Yoruba nation.

Speaking on Arise Television on Tuesday, Fayemi said such agitation is expected when there are stress and laxity in society.

The Governor said, “Frankly, when you have stress and laxity in society, you’re bound to find a whole range of responses. Some rational, some irrational, some that speak to the fears of the people, some opportunistic and harebrained. There’s no question that some of the reactions we’ve seen will fall into all of those categories.”

He expressed optimism that the country will triumph and survive the challenges it is currently faced with.

He said the time has come for the devolution of power and that the country needs to adopt other measures at managing its diversity.

“I have gone on record to say that I have unfailing optimism that in spite of all our challenges, this country will triumph and we’ll survive current challenges. We as leaders must focus on the goal of protecting lives and property, and focus on safety and security as the primary responsibility that we have,” Fayemi said.

“The people who are talking about secession frankly, some of them are doing it out of frustration. I don’t think that’s the solution to the Nigerian predicament right now.

“In matters of economic development, we may need to begin to look at other ways of managing diversity and difference in our country and that devolution of power is an idea whose time has come.”

This comes a day after his Ondo State counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu, dissociated his state from the calls for the secession of the South-West from Nigeria.

As the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PASAN begins an indefinite strike across the Country, the Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Adebo Ogundoyin says the call by the Association for the implementation of financial autonomy for the Legislative arm of Government is a laudable course and the constitutional right of the workers.

The Speaker stated this while addressing Oyo Assembly workers who gathered at the main Gate of the Parliament Building Secretariat, Ibadan for the commencement of an indefinite strike in compliance with the directive of the National body of the Association.

The workers who shut down all the Gates leading to Oyo Assembly complex displayed different placards showing their displeasure on the non-implementation of financial autonomy for the Legislative arm of Government across the Country.

Hon Ogundoyin said the strike will no doubt paralyse the activities of the Oyo State House of Assembly, adding that it was however in the interest of democracy and the independence of the Legislative arms of Government.

He assured them that the Governors Forum will soon come up with a uniform way or modality of implementing the financial autonomy.

” No state will go about it in different way. Everything will done in a uniform manner. Let me also say that, the Speakers’ Forum too will not relent until the financial autonomy is achieved. ” The Speaker said.

Earlier, while presenting the Communique from the National body to the Speaker, the Chairman Oyo PASAN , Comrade Yemi Alade said the financial autonomy bill was passed into law in 2018 and assented to with a Presidential Order 10 by President Muhammadu Buhari and wondered why the implementation has not commenced.

According to Comrade Yemi Alade, if the Legislative arm of Government is not independent and autonomous, true and pristine democracy will not be achieved.

” Our appeal is to all the Governors to commence the implementation of the financial autonomy. It is surprising that they are not following the Presidential Order. We will not return to work until our demands are met. ” Oyo Assembly PASAN Chairman insists.

A PDP stalwart, media personality, and a member of socio-political group MATOP, Jumoke Akinade has revealed that Makinde has good intention to change the course of history of Oyo State but the problem is that, he is being surrounded by selfish political leaders who offer wrong advice that may likely have negative impact on his political carrier.

The party stalwart said this in a statement she sent to ODUDUWA NEWS today.

She said Makinde is a blessing to Oyo state, capital of intellectuals, he attributed his type to a person that wants to right the wrong, in term of series of uncommon achievements he has achieved since assumption of duty as the governor of Oyo State and such person needs to be encouraged to do more.

“God forbid! if Makinde steps down before his time, it will pave way for shenanigans and self-centered politicians to turn Oyo State to their private business”, said Jumoke.

She spoke further that it takes the grace of God for Makinde to discern who and who to work with in order to deliver the true dividends of democracy he promised the good people of Oyo State.

“He needs your prayer to succed and my message to all those that have political ambition or wish to attain certain level of position in Makinde-led administration is that, God will guide you as you strike to make your dreams a reality.

She however implored Makinde to embrace all party faithfuls irrespective of their political leaning within the party so that PDP in the State can be further strengthened than the present state.

A group agitating the independence of the Yoruba nation has flooded Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State with posters for the proposed Yoruba nation, Oduduwa Republic.

The group is being sponsored by Koikimedia, a company owned by Sunday Igboho’s spokesman Olayomi Olakunle Koiki.

One of the descriptions on the poster captioned: ‘Support Yoruba Referendum Now’.

It would be recalled that a group also posted the image of a proposed currency for the Yoruba nation on its Twitter handle.

The tweet read: “Oduduwa National Currency shall be called ‘FADAKA’ Meaning Silver .. or short as just ‘FAD’. Here is a 20 Fadaka Sample Banknote.”

Also, Yoruba Historian, Banji Akintoye alongside Sunday Adeyemo popularly called Sunday Igboho, in a recent viral video, declared the sovereignty of the Yoruba nation.

Akintoye and Igboho, among other Yoruba leaders stated that the Yoruba nation can be independent and yet, thrive.

Professor Akintoye said the most important thing for the Yoruba nation is to learn to work towards its sovereignty.

According to him, this is not a time to discuss issues surrounding restructuring, resource control or a new constitution but rather to secede from Nigeria.

A stalwart of People’s Democratic Party PDP, Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse, on Monday urged the party’s stakeholders to embrace peace to strengthen the party in the South-West.

The chieftain, lecturer at the University of Lagos, Pearse who made this appeal while granting an interview to newsmen said that the real opponent of PDP remained the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). “There is no need for us to be fighting ourselves within the PDP when our real opponents are in the APC.

“We should desist from actions, disposition and utterances that are tearing the party apart.
“Let members promote candidates of their choice and tell us why they want us to support such candidates,” Pearse said.
RecallPDP has been embroiled in controversies over the leadership of the South-West chapter of the party which precipitated suspension of its zonal congress recently.

Pearse was the former Governorship Candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 2019 elections in Lagos State.
According to him, the suspended South-West congress is an exercise in democracy for members to choose the candidates they think are best to run the South-West zone of the PDP.

The chieftain advised party members in the zone to allow the congress to hold and stressed the need for all to go to the convention as a family whenever the zonal congress is rescheduled.

“I would suggest that people who are holding up the congress now should withdraw their suits in court so that we can have a less acrimonious, smooth and peaceful election.

“We should follow the direction of the Reconciliation Teams, the one led by the former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki and the one led by the former Gov. Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun.
“We can agree to disagree, but we do not need to be disagreeable. We are members of the same party and at the end of the day, all of us must work together,” he said.

According to him, the crisis in the Lagos PDP chapter has stagnated the party.
He also urged the Lagos State PDP Chairman, Mr Deji Doherty, to allow peace to reign.

“In Lagos particularly, there is no need for us to fight each other,” he added.
NAN reports that the former Gov. Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State have been embroiled in controversy over the leadership of the South-West chapter of the main opposition party in Nigeria.

Also, the brouhaha over who should take the position of the National Vice-Chairman of PDP in the South-West was tearing the party apart.
“While Fayose-faction was support of Mr Eddy Olafeso to retain the position, Makinde’s loyalists were in support Mr Taofeek Arapaja.
The Saraki-led and Oyinlola-led PDP reconciliatory committees have visited some state chapters of PDP in the zone to resolve their crisis.

ODUDUWA NEWS has just gathered that students of state-owned tertiary institutions have decided to embark on protest today in Ibadan owing to the ongoing industrial strike action embarked on by workers in their institution.

This was contained in a release jointly signed by SUG President, Ashaolu Victor Samuel and PRO, Abdulrauf Abdulazeez of Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa and sent to Oduduwa News confirming the purpoted protest as read in part:

“We are using this medium to call the attention of Students Populace of Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa to join us this morning at Sango Junction, Ibadan by 8:00am for the Massive Protest which is organized by Student leaders of all Oyo State Owned Institutions.

“If you are presently in Ibadan, join us as we converge at Sango Junction Ibadan and lead our peaceful struggle to State Secretariat. The Negligence of The State Government to Student Life and Qualitative Education needs to stop, also We must end this Jeopardizing and Ruining of Students Future due to Joint Action Committee (JAC) Body Selfish Interest. #StopWastingOurTime

“This protest will be covered by top media in the state and all our activities will be posted on social media. We enjoin every students to join us on both physical and online. “Let us dare to be so by ourselves and for ourselves.” – Jean-Jacques Dessalines. #EndJacStrike. The fight continues.

Sunday Ighoho’s spokesman and radio presenter, Olayomi Koiki has said traditional rulers and politicians of Yoruba extraction who are against the agitation for Oduduwa Republic will go on exile.

He said further that there would be no retreat in the push for a sovereign nation for Yoruba people.

Sunday Igboho
Koiki said this in a viral video on Saturday.

He, however, said that there were Yoruba chiefs in support of the agitation, saying those ones would be spared, as he berated many monarchs and political leaders for allegedly causing the impoverishment of the Yoruba people.

In the video he made in Yoruba, the media personality said those who cautioned on war should know that Nigeria was at war with the effrontery of the Fulani militias to attack the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom.

“Apart from those who spoke audibly well, but who did not, we will chase them away. Mark my face. My name is Olayomi Koiki. You older generation sent us the younger generation into slavery. But, we are informing you now that if you have what to use to protect yourself, please do because what we are telling you is not a little matter.

“You will go on exile because many of you have brought damage to the Yoruba people.

“You are saying we shouldn’t start a war, you didn’t know that war had started in Nigeria since the inception of the country. You will be madly shocked when we unleash deadly agitators. You think we are joking but we are starting with you.

“Aside from the traditional leaders that have spoken audibly, tell the traditional rulers and politicians that we are not playing. My name is Olayomi Koiki. Mark my face. I’m a confirmed Ijebu-Ode indigene. I will contend with you thoroughly.”

He expressed confidence that the people of the South-West will do well.

“You think we are joking. The southern governments have been given 30 days’ ultimatum. But before and after that 30 days deadline, it will be fierce, except if the movement is false. But if we are supported by Olodumare, the Yoruba will separate from Nigeria.

“UK is just 67 million people and they are flourishing, and we that are more than 67 million people are suffering. And someone from his palace is telling us not to start war, war has begun in Nigeria.

“If you are saying there is no war in Nigeria, the Governor of Benue State was almost killed. And you are saying there’s no war? You didn’t talk when Yoruba people were refugees in Benin Republic. You will see madness. Whatever you have, bring it out, and we will bring ours too. Yoruba nation, there is no going back. Have a very good evening.”

Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has warned Chief Sunday Igboho and others agitating for a sovereign Yoruba State to stay away from the state.

Akeredolu said Ondo people have elected to stay in the Federal Republic of Nigeria as constituted at present.

He said no part of the entire state, known and delineated as Ondo State, would permit any gathering or agitation which may suggest, however remotely, that the people are in support of what he termed ‘unthinking rabble rousing.’

Akeredolu who spoke while swearing in Princess Catherine Oladunni Odu as the new Secretary to the State Government and other Special Advisers said the state would not subscribe to banditry and recklessness in putting forth its demands.

He said the right of citizens to discuss, agitate and even fight to right perceived wrongs, culminating in self-determination, must be done within known and acceptable parameters and all concerned must agree to pursue the same objectives to achieve a desirable or desired end.

He noted that the reasons for the declaration of hostilities must not be fleeting fancies of disaffection engendered by perceived politics of exclusion for personal benefits.

Akeredolu who condemned attack on the convoy of the Benue State Governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom, urged security agencies to unmask the agents of darkness bent on throwing the country into a state of anarchy.

There has been indication that trouble A coalition comprising different political groups in lagelu Local government in Oyo State , under the aegis lagelu Peoples Forum (LPF) yesterday announced its intention to commence the recall of the lawmaker representing Lagelu state constituency in Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Akintunde Olajide popularly called AKT, over allegations of gross misconduct that led to his emergence as an hon member in the Oyo state House of Assembly.

The coalition called on the people of the lagelu state Constituency to as a matter of urgency and responsibility support the patriotic move and save the Constituency further embarrassments.

The group in a Press statement released to this Online newspaper, lamented what they described as poor representation of the Constituency by AKT.

Speaking on behalf ‎ of the group, Alhaji Abdulkareem Delaja told Journalists that lagelu state Constituency has been relegated to the back seat following the serial exuberant behavior,lackadaisical attitude ,disrespecting the traditional rulers and arrogance to the electorate that elected him.

According to Delaja, he has since his election threaded the path of infamy by neglecting his primary responsibility to his supporters and more importantly the masses , and most importantly he did not get the party Waiver to contest in the 2019 general election stating that he was not fully and properly involve in the due process of candidate representation and at this it’s has led AKT to an unwarranted political ego tripping that only serve to massage his over bloated ego and personal aggrandisement.

“As a Group, we are not out to witch-hunt any body. But we owe it a duty to ensure thay our Constituency is properly represented in the State Assembly. Unfortunately this has not been the case with him who has virtually turned an otherwise serious business of legislation to a grandeous display of infantile exuberance , cronism and other shameful vices unbecoming of a Distinguished Honourable”.