YORUBA Nation agitators, yesterday, threatened to cause more havoc if security agents refuse to release their members who hoisted their flag at the Oyo State House of Assembly.
Recall that 21 suspected agitators and several weapons, berets, soldiers’ boots, caps, charms and other dangerous weapons were paraded by the state Police Command.
The agitators, through their Deputy Coordinator, Victor Adewale, in a statement, also threatened President Bola Tinubu and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to bear the brunts if they fail to release arrested agitators.
The statement claimed that the said Adewale is based in Sweden and serves as the European Coordinator of the Oodua Progressive Union, OPU.
It noted that he was installed Akingbayi Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland in 2020.
The statement reads: “If Seyi Makinde refuses to release our men that were arrested and makes them sleep in the cell, he has called for war and Bola Tinubu will be greatly affected. The way we will ravage, you won’t all understand.
“I’m directed to warn you for the last time. Governor Makinde must release our warriors he arrested at the secretariat in Ibadan. He must release them immediately, he should return them to the secretariat, let them be doing their own there and we should be doing ours.
“If he continues to hold them, wherever you are; you will be rooted out. Our proclamation letters are with them. Tinubu, Tunji Disu, Makinde and all Amotekun in Yoruba land and the police, you must release those guys immediately. War is coming and I want to implore Yoruba people to go out en masse to protest. However, whether you like it or not, we have an interim government now for Yoruba Nation.”
Police discover more hideouts, weapons in UCH premises
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Police Command, yesterday, said it discovered more exhibits hidden in an uncompleted building around the University College Hospital in Ibadan.
The arrest and discovery of some weapons, bulletproof jackets and army camouflage uniforms was contained in a viral video being circulated.
or us, we will continue to uphold and support the government, to support the president to ensure everything he does is to our advantage not as a race, but to our advantage as a nation, irrespective of where you come from Yoruba land or anywhere.”
In his remarks, Mr Hassan said the essence is to rekindle the fast-dying Yoruba morals and values and as well as inculcate it into the youths.
Our members not involved in Oyo invasion —OPU
Meanwhile, a Yoruba diaspora organization, Oodua Progressives Union, OPU, yesterday, dissociated itself from Saturday’s invasion by some Yoruba Nation agitators in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The OPU, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Chief Victor Adewale, said that OPU is purely a Yoruba socio-cultural organization that is presently in 98 countries across the six continents of the world.
“Our diaspora organization has been projecting the Yoruba positively to the world, using its strengths and global network to seek unity and progress of the Yoruba race in the diaspora.
“Our vision is to promote Yoruba culture, peace and unity among the Yoruba in the diaspora and in doing that, we stand for restructuring of Nigeria to federating units that are tied to regionalism.
“OPU has never called for self-determination. Our global convener, Iba Gani Adams’ vision and ideals are spelt; and it is about true federalism that is solely based on regionalism.
“We are not against the system and we have been fulfilling our dreams through many of our programmes, including the annual OPU World Congress, held annually across the southwest region in Nigeria. The last congress was held in Osogbo, where many people benefitted from the free health and humanitarian services of the organization.
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“OPU is not against any group or organization’s ideology but we stand for restructuring that is based on regionalism.”
Adewale also faulted those linking him with the invasion.
He said: “An online platform mentioned my name as the deputy coordinator of the Yoruba Nation agitators and deputy interim president.
“There was a mix-up in the first two names of the man referred to as the coordinator and deputy president of the Yoruba nation group.
“I have been inundated with various phone calls from different quarters on the publication.
“My name is Chief Mobolaji Victor Adewale and the man’s sworn-in in a viral video last Saturday as interim leader of the Democratic Republic of Yoruba nation name is Mobolaji Olawale Akintola Omokore.
“I am not in any way related to the deputy coordinator and deputy president of the Dupe Onitiri-led Yoruba Nation agitators that hoisted their flags at the Oyo state House of Assembly.
“However, I need to clear my name and I have instructed my lawyers to write the publishers and seek proper retraction of the publication.
“All my life, I have lived in Sweden for the past 30 years and I have been doing my legitimate business as a transporter in Sweden. All my life, I have never joined any organization except the OPU and I have risen through the ranks to become the coordinator of Sweden, Europe and presently, I am the Publicity Secretary of the OPU.”
