By Oladimeji Bolarinwa
Never in the post-colonial history of Nigeria have the Yoruba race becoming strategically decimated by non-state actors who have launched both symmetrically and asymmetrically warfare against the custodians of Yoruba civilization and identity as the current time.
Think Yoruba First Organization hereby condemn the callous and obvious targeting and killing of Three Notable Yoruba Monarchs in the Ekiti axis of Yoruba, Southwest Nigeria, and Kwara State respectively. Oba David Ogunsakin, the Elesun of Esun-Ekiti; and Oba Olatunde Olusola, the Onimojo of Omojola – Ekiti were both gunned down on Jan 29th while Oba Peter Aremu Onikoro of Koro-Ekiti in Kwara State was killed on Feb 1st, 2024. Our organization also condemned the kidnapping of school children and their teachers in Ekiti state on Jan 29th, 2024. That suspected Fulani Herdsmen conducted these unprovoked acts of terrorism did not come as a surprise to many people. We have had many cases of these terroristic acts that have been sweeping the country with no significant impact from the government’s so-called interventions. At least four thousand farmers and farm workers has been killed in Ekiti, Ondo Axis of Yorubaland by Fulani marauders.
We will recall that similar acts of terrorism led to the formation of the Amotekun regional security network in the Southwest Region of Nigeria on Jan 9th, 2020, however the efforts of these security network have been frustrated due to the federal government prohibition of the security apparatus from carrying precision weapons to fight the insurgency. We anticipate continued provocations and loss of lives and properties in the country as the asymmetrical war of terrorism has been rocking the country for more than two decades.
Think Yoruba First calls on Yoruba organizations to amass our strength and demand for the restructuring of Nigeria for peace to reign. When the Nigerian army mistakenly bombed the Kaduna village on Dec 6th, 2023, the entire northern senator Caucus came rushing down to Kaduna to pay condolences and put pressure on the Nigerian federal government. When the riot at Sasha Market in Ibadan happened a few years ago, more than 3 Northern governors stormed Oyo state to look after the welfare of their people, but three Yoruba Obas were killed in four (4) days in Ekiti and Kwara and all Yoruba governors have not shown enough coordinated efforts to demand the solution to the real problem of insecurity in the states. This is the time for patriotic omoluabis to come together and safeguard Yorubaland from expansionists and marauders. We are at war on all sides in Nigeria and we must act on time to protect our lands and space.
It is time for the Yoruba race to speak in one voice and demands for the restructuring of the country and demand the institution of True Federalism from the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Our forebears were voluntary participant in the Nigeria union, we signed up for a truly federal union not a unitary union with no boundaries which is now leading to the murder of our kings and internal colonization of our region, the Yorubaland of Nigeria.
May Olodumare continue to bless the entire Yoruba race.
Oladimeji Bolarinwa is
President
Think Yoruba First Organization