Newsbreak: Makinde demolishes home of Abiola’s wife over O’odua Nation
By Ogunsona Samuel
The Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has ordered the demolition of the house of Mrs Onitiri Abiola.
The Government moved against the wife of late M K O Abiola, winner of the June 12 election, over her proclamation of O’odua Republic which she made in a video now viral.
The demolition has demonstrated the contempt Yoruba political leaders have for separatist groups in the South West and a clear indication of the stiff resistance to expect from the Yoruba ruling class.
Agitation for secession is pronounced in the South East of Nigeria, while the Northern part of the country is riddled with armed groups with varying demands ranging from Islamic State to banditry and armed insurgency without any clear ideological goal.
Authorities have also linked Onitiri to the last Saturday invasion of the Oyo State Secretariat by some 21 young men who claimed they were agitating for a separate country for Yoruba people of the South West.
The men invaded the Secretariat in the early morning hours wearing martial fatigue. They were accosted by police and members of Amotekun Corps who later arrested them.
On Tuesday, a court in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital ordered that 21 arrested members of the group be remanded in prison.
Onitiri Abiola has been very vocal in her agitation for Oodua Republic.
She was said to have made her Oodua Republic declaration at the particular house demolished by the Oyo State Government.
Sources told Irohinoodua that her whereabouts were unknown as at this morning.
Nigeria is home to corrupt and inept leadership who sustain decades of control through largely rigged elections where votes are bought on election day giving elected leaders immunity from responsibility to those who elected them. The horrible system is constantly defended by beneficiaries or those who one day hope to gain from a policy of systematic exploitation that has produced millions of angry and violence seeking multitude.
The past eight years saw mass invasion of farmland in the South West, killings and kidnapping leading to many deaths, broken trust and food insecurity all of which have combined to fuel secessionist agitation which actually had earlier been fueled by the annulment of the June 12 1993 election won by a Yorubaman.
The actions of the invaders of Ibadan Secretariat has largely been condemned, but the juvenile behavior of the Ibadan invaders has raised the fear that unknown groups agitating for secession actually exist in the South West, and there may even be more unknown elements, who may even resort to the worst of means in the nearest future.
NIGERIA fought a civil war in 1967 which saw the South West and the North United against the Igbo South East. Observers think secessionist movements in the North East, South East and now South West may be too much for Nigeria to contend with amidst widespread anger, frustration and a very arrogant, corrupt, reckless and often visionless ruling class who have failed to address mind boggling poverty and thinks the only solution to rising ride of agitation and anger is bullying and brute force.
President Bola Tinubu from the same South West came to power on May 29 last year. His leadership has introduced reforms following eight years of unprecedented corruption and ruin under former leader, Mohammed Buhari.
Mr Tinubu has promised to bring back the country from the brink of hopelessness. His economic policies have started to yield fruits after initial hitches. The Naira week after week continues to grow in strength. However, the damage of several decades has not led to dramatic changes the people expected, but hope has started to rise with noticeable measures. Mr Tinubu has also promised to restructure the country and guarantee justice, prosperity and bring back Nigeria from her current stunted posture.He met with the Yoruba mainstream, Afenifere on Wednesday where he emphasized his determination to lift up Nigeria and make her great again. Many world institutions have commend the efforts of the President for his recent policies.