…Says Southern leaders have no choice but to unite to liberate their people since Restructuring is no longer feasible
……..Accuses prominent people of betraying Nigeria
Yoruba leader and President of the Yoruba World Congress(YWC) ,Professor Banji Akintoye has said that the only option been exploited by the southern part of the country is to pursue self determination to free themselves from the strangle hold of a part of the country.
He observed that all over the world,”Nigeria is the only country where a part of the country choose to occupy the other part and inflict injustice and deny the principle of equality and equity and try to impose themselves and their religion on the rest of us.”
Professor Akintoye who spoke in an exclusive interview with Newdawnngr editors said the recent admission of Yoruba as a member of the Unrepresented Peoples Organisation by the United Nations Organisation is one of the first steps at getting self determination.
He said that while his generation worked hard for and look towards a country which had full potentials to be one of the greatest nations and to make it the greatest black power in the world but regretted that ,”the dream is no longer feasible as it has been destroyed by spirit of lust,greed, poverty of some few leaders who have appropriated the country to themselves and want to force others to accept their religion ”
Asked whether the country’s slide cannot be corrected he said,” for now i don’t see what can change the trend.it will continue to go down and predictably it will as no part of the country is strong enough to resist its decay and the situation has got to the extent that some young people are struggling to find an answer.”
On agitation for Restructuring being clamoured for in the South,he said the agitation is no longer appropriate to arrest the descent adding,”the situation in the country have since gone beyond restructuring to a situation where the people have to rise and defend themselves from those who have invaded them from another part of the country.”
He said to achieve the goal of liberation,the three geo -political zones in the south,south west,south south and south east have no option than to unite or else,”their blood will keep flowing”
“The southern parts of the country, south west,south south,south east and the middle belt have no option but to come together to rescue themselves from the strangle hold of the other part who belief the country belongs to them.
As a result, he said the situation has reached a stage where other party’s of the country especially it’s youths are trying to find an answer to prevent their future from slipping away.
Professor Akintoye said most Yoruba people, non- elite,elite, poor,rich,educated and non educated have come to the point where they are asking,What is the future of our nation n this country?
Those Yoruba who think we must begin to prepare for a future for a Yoruba nation.Yoruba want to prepare themselves for the future hence the reasons for membership of the Unrepresented Peoples Organisation(UNPO).
Speaking on the level of insecurity in the country, he said that for now it is apparent that ,” the country has been going down steadily.poverty has reached very great depth and Nigeria is now the home of extreme poverty in the world.”
Said he,” the most amazing thing is that some influential citizens of the country have betraying the essence of the country by their greed and denying the essence.”
As a result he said that for now,Nigeria of our dream is no more as their greed and personal expectation have rocked the boat since the principle of our citizenship,equity and national unity and coherence have been betrayed since they wasn’t to impose themselves and their religion on others.
The Yoruba Congress leader praised the courage of the governors from South west for establishing Amotekun to protect their people from outside threats adding that Lagos and Ogun state will soon begin their operations to bring security to the region.
Full interview later…
