Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, MSSN, and the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations, NACOMYO,Tuesday said Muslims in the region were not part of the recent call for Oduduwa Republic.
Some Yoruba leaders and organisations among whom are Prof. Banji Akinyoye, had said the Yoruba ethnic group was ready to take the region out of Nigeria.
The Muslim youths while addressing journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, yesterday, said Muslims in the South West region would not be part of any agitation for the creation of Oduduwa Republic and the planned protest slated for October 1.
The Amir, MSSN B-Zone, Barrister Qaasim Odedeji, at the press conference jointly organised by MSSN B-Zone and NACOMYO Southern Nigeria, appealed to all Yoruba to shun any rally in the name of Oduduwa Republic.
Odedeji who condemned agitation for secession or creation of Oduduwa Republic, said the agitation was unwarranted and uncalled for.
He added that it was also ill-motivated and devilish.
He said: “The secessionist groups have not only chosen a name for their proposed republic, they have also designed its currency which has been paraded on social media. In order to gain a global attention for their agitation, Yoruba World Congress has planned a rally to be held on the 1st day of October, the Nigeria Independence Day.
“It is a good development that many other Yoruba groups and some eminent personalities in Yorubaland have dissociated themselves from secessionists agenda and their planned October 1 rally.
“We condemn in strong term any agitation for secession or creation of Oduduwa Republic. It is our considered view that the agitation is not only unwarranted and uncalled for, it is also ill-motivated and devilish. It is a call for war and bloodshed and we, as critical stakeholders, will not allow individuals or group of people acting in their own selfish and parochial interest, to drag us into unnecessary war.
“It becomes more worrisome and the need for our intervention when the secessionists, in their cunning way of claiming support of Muslims suddenly gave birth to a “Yoruba Jamatru Islam” a faceless group existing only in the imagination of their fake sponsors.”
Odedeji added that any Muslim who understands Islam will not fight based on ethnicity, noting that the Holy Prophet would not support anything that will divide the people.
According to him, “Any Muslim who understands what Islam means will not support that agitation. The Holy Prophet (SAW) said that he is not part of those who fight on the basis of ethnicism. He is not part of those who die on the basis of ethnicism.
“In Oyo State, Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Ondo and Ekiti, are our leaders Hausa or Igbo. Is Oyo State better governed, is Osun, Ekiti and other states in the South West better governed? It is some people who are looking for money to eat they are calling for Oduduwa republic. Are we the only group in Nigeria, is Nigeria for only three ethnic groups. If anyone is claiming to be marginalised, it should not be Yoruba.
“We, like many other Nigerians, are worried and concerned that Nigeria as a nation despite its endowment with human and natural resources, has become beset of poverty and insecurity as evidenced by acts of terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, thuggry, cultism, ritual killing in all parts of the country. We, however, do not believe that secession is the answer to our problems. Rather, it is capable of throwing the nation into another round of war and bloodshed as the experience of such agitations for sovereign state of Biafra, Soviet Union/Russia and recently the Sudan is nothing to write home about. It has always been a bad tale.
“When we are also not oblivious of the constitutional right to freedom of expression, we also believe it is clearly wrong to speak on behalf of the entire Yoruba people on such a serious issue like secession without the consent and approval of critical stakeholders that our organisations represent.
“We therefore, on behalf of the entire Muslim students and youths of Yoruba state that there is strength in togetherness. We believe in one Nigeria. No to secession! No to Yoruba Republic.
“We appeal to all Nigerians to put all hands on deck towards ensuring development of one Nigeria. Nations are built on visions, ideals and values while peace is the most desired by us all as violence is too expensive to pay its due.”
