Following the ultimatum issued by Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) against Yorubas living in the North to vacate the region, the Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC New Era) has condemned the Northern youth group for releasing such statement.
OPC, speaking through its National Public Relations Officer, Comrade Adesina Akinpelu, described the statement by Arewa Youth Assembly as misguided, saying that Hausas have never been enemies to Yoruba people irrespective of their differences.
“The statement credited to one Mohammed Salihu Danlami, Speaker, Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) is uncalled for. It is very unfortunate that some Hausas have refused to accept the reality that Fulanis are the major problem bedevilling Nigeria as a nation.
“Fulanis have virtually hijacked everything from us and even Hausas always play the second fiddle. Some myopic Hausas have even become slaves to these Fulanis.”
Speaking further, Akinpelu stated that both Yorubas and Hausas have never been enemies to one another and that the Arewa youth group should go back to history and check how the two tribes have worked together to achieve what is called Nigeria today.
“How can any reasonable person support Fulanis who have virtually hijacked Nigeria from us? They never even see Hausas as their brothers until they want to use them against other tribes. Today, many Fulanis speak Hausa language fluently but the same cannot be said about the real Hausas.
“Some of these Hausas have become slaves to Fulanis and that is why Mohammed Salihu Danlami, Speaker, Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA) could be making such careless statement.”
He added that OPC was never against Hausas but only demanded that criminal elements among all other tribes should leave Yorubaland before they are fished out.
“In as much as we want to become independent, Yorubas are not against people of other tribes who are law abiding or those doing legitimate businesses in Yorubaland.
“We will not support anybody or group that tries to instigate Yoruba people against law abiding people of other tribes. To become a truly Yoruba nation, we must first of all be sincere with ourselves and lay a foundation on how to go about it without driving law abiding people of other tribes away.
“No people or Nation exists in isolation,” Akinpelu stated.
The OPC added that throughout history, the Fulanis have tormented and saw to the collapse of many Yoruba empires until united Yoruba forces conquered and sent them back.
“The Fulanis by their antecedents are very manipulative. Their treachery is second to none. They used that treacherous method to bring down many empires in not only Yorubaland but also in Hausa land. That is why both Hausas and Yorubas must come together to speak against our oppressors who are operating as if they are above the law of the land. ”
OPC therefore called on Yoruba people to be united and be wary of ethnic agitators who are only after their own selfish interests.
