Anyone Saying Nigeria Better Together Wants Some People To Perish ─ Akintoye

Yoruba Historian and chairman of the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Willpower (NINAS), Professor Banji Akintoye, has stated anybody who says Nigeria is best collectively desires Yoruba individuals to perish.

Akintoye said this throughout an interview with Guardian in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Thursday.

He stated individuals who wish to profit from Nigeria in any respect prices to the detriment of their individuals, are these in opposition to self-determination however are as a substitute pushing for restructuring.

Akintoye stated: “We’re insisting on self-determination as a result of it’s the solely resolution now that’s significant. Some other resolution isn’t significant. We face an existential state of affairs and the reply isn’t just to guard ourselves now but additionally to take the measure that may result in perpetual safety. The one solution to obtain that’s to have a separate nation of our personal.

“There’ll all the time be some Yoruba leaders that imagine in restructuring as a substitute of secession: One, individuals who don’t perceive absolutely the enormity of the hazard dealing with the Yoruba nation.

“Two, individuals who perceive however are questioning what’s going to occur to them to interchange the advantages they’re having fun with. Individuals who have excessive ambitions and so they have contributed excessive to Nigeria and so they wish to profit from it in any respect price. Even when their individuals perish, such individuals will oppose it.

“They’re opposing, however we don’t blame them. They’re human beings. What’s necessary is that these of us who imagine in our aims shall be sturdy within the wrestle. Anyone who says Nigeria is best collectively is saying that some individuals should perish.”

Commenting on the assertion by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, that there could be a have to receive a visa to Kano if Nigeria is dismembered.

Akintoye stated: “If we wish to go to the Benin Republic, received’t we take a visa? There isn’t any drawback. Wherever exterior Yorubaland, we’ll take a visa. That’s pure.”

The professor additionally faulted the insinuations that if Yoruba nation will get independence, sub-units within the area may additionally demand independence and what occurred in Sudan, may repeat additionally occur.

He added: “Sudan has the issue we don’t have. Sudan is made up of small ethnic teams. They have been preventing as completely different ethnic teams. When independence got here, regardless of the peace of mind that they have been going to carry collectively, the leaders couldn’t do it. Due to this fact, they have been preventing amongst themselves. They usually have been killing each other since then.

“That can’t occur in Yorubaland. We’re one individuals, one tradition and one language. That could be a deliberate distortion. Ethnic components have by no means performed an element in our historical past.

“We will get out of this Nigeria with out violence. We don’t need to insult any individuals. We don’t need to insult different ethnic teams.

“We don’t need to be hostile in the direction of different individuals. We don’t need to disobey the federal government or disrespect the legal guidelines of Nigeria. We will obtain our functions by being ourselves. We’re civilised individuals. That’s my message to the Yoruba individuals. We’re subtle individuals.”