Recently, the voices of those calling for a yoruba land called the Oduduwa Kingdom has been on the increase. These calls struck a crescendo and high note yesterday, on Thursday evening when Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, a self-acclaimed Yoruba activist, declared Yoruba as a separate nation and demanded the secession of South-West states from Nigeria. Igboho’s declaration sparked divergent reactions from Nigerians on social media.
During his declaration, Igboho said the major resources of Nigeria were in the hands of Northerners, stressing that Yorubas were being killed and their land taken over.
“If the police attack us for that, we are ready for them. We do not want Nigeria again but the Yoruba nation. There is no essence for one Nigeria when the major resources in the country are in the hands of the northerners.
“Enough is enough. There is no going back. We are not scared of anybody. These killer herders are taking over our land and they are killing our people,” Igboho said in a video recording that has gone viral.
A yoruba professional living in the UK reacting to these calls for divisions in Nigeria had this to say, I had planned to retire to Nigeria when my work here is done, but the way the unity of the country is detoriorating I think that my though is now forgone.
Others reacting to his declaration made their diverse opinions known.
A Twitter user that goes with the handle Ada King supported Igboho’s standpoint while saying that freedom was needed from Nigeria.
“Freedom, Freedom, Freedom. That’s what we want from Nigeria. Just so happy today, shout out to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, The great leader of IPOB for all his efforts and also Sunday Igboho for his fight for Oduduwa Republic. At the end, we all shall be free from Nigeria,” Ada King wrote on Twitter.
Taking the same position, another who is Nkem opined that there was no point having a ‘one Nigeria’ if there would not be progress as a country. NKEM stated that the country should do the ‘needful’ or separate.
“I do not see the point of #OneNigeria if we are not going to progress as a country. We either start doing the needful now or we separate. Respect to men like Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu who took it upon themselves to agitate for the freedom of their people against tyranny,” NKEM said
Another social media user identified as Noah Nwosu @NoahNwosu75 also spoke in support of Igboho with claims that the differences among Nigerians were stronger than what united them.
Nwosu stated that northern and southern Nigeria did not have anything in common and when the country was separated, the Northerners could practise Shariah Law in a way that suited them.
“Supported of course. Yoruba should get their country. Biafra should get theirs. There is nothing like one in Nigeria. Our differences are stronger than what unites us. The north and south don’t have anything in common. North will be free to practice their shariah as it suits them,” Nwosu claimed.
Against the personality of Igboho, a Twitter user identified as Hayzed @lanreoyeleye said Igboho, popularly known in Ibadan, Oyo State, should not be the one winning the hearts of people for the Oduduwa Republic – another name for the Yoruba nation.
In dissonance to the call for secession, another social media user ADEYEMI @YEMOSKYLALA said the country did not need to separate, rather should be restructured.
“Sunday Igboho should calm down. Who are those pushing him for the Yoruba nation thing? This country does not need division. Rather we should restructure it.
“All this (sic) fools calling for a particular nation out of another nation does (sic) not understand that it take (sic) more than calling,” ADEYEMI said.
Meanwhile, Igboho and his boys arrested four people today; two soldiers and two civilians whom he accused of spying on him. This was made public by his media man stated further that the fact that the security operatives are now spying on his boss means that he is starting to get their attention.
