Quite notice: Arewa youths want to undermine Osibanjo, Yoruba youths declare

OBINNA EZUGWU

Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide (YCYW) has stated that the quit notice given to NdIgbo in the North and the subsequent letter to acting President, Yemi Osinbajo asking for referendum was an attempt to unleash violence by those who believe they are the rightful rulers of the country in a attempt to undermine the acting President in view of President Muhammadu Buhari’s health challenges.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Asiwaju Samuel Oloyede and President, Aare Barr. Oladotun Hassan, the council warned that history was about to repeat itself, noting that the quit notice was not an empty threat and should not be waved away as such.

Recalling previous riots in Kano in which it said several Yoruba people lost lives and properties, the group regretted that the federal government had elected to treat the signatories to the notice with kid gloves, while warning their sponsors that times have changed since 1966.

“History has a way of repeating itself, first it comes as a farce, then as a tragedy when the people concerned refuse to learn from it.

“The statement by a coalition of youths from Northern Nigeria amounts to, in the least, outright treason and grand larceny. The idea that this country belongs to a particular tribe who believe they were “born to rule” has been taken too far this time.

“This statement brings to mind the Rwandan tragedy where a pogrom of untold magnitude was triggered by a careless inciting statement by an overzealous Radio presenter. With the Nation’s polity so heated and bottled up, such statement is capable of igniting the already heated up polity.

“Even if one wanted to ignore it as an empty threat, the actions of Northern Elders afterwards and the apparent complacency of the government in handling the situation informs otherwise,” the group said.

They noted that the words of Professor Ango Abdullahi was a pointer to the fact that the youths have the support of certain elders who must have told them that their fathers committed similar pogrom in 1966 and went away with it,  but emphasised that times have changed.

“Professor Ango Abdullahi is an ‘elder statesman’ and an opinion leader in the North. He was quick in endorsing the treasonable actions of their youths. Then we knew ‘their fathers sent them’

“The order by the Kaduna state governor and the Inspector General of Police for the arrest of the culprits only amounts to pretentious lip service. Non of them has been arrested or even questioned to date. The attempt to convince us to play the ostrich by chief Paul Unongo and Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule is only surface deep and does not hold water. We want to ask the two elders if they have control over the actions of these youths. Their statement has failed to assuage frayed nerves or give assurance that the tragedy will not happen.

“These youths must have been told stories of how their fathers massacred fellow Nigerians in 1966 and got away with it. What their fathers didn’t tell them is that times have changed.

“Memories of the Kano riots in which many Yoruba people lost their lives and property are still fresh. Many Yoruba lives were lost, not to talk of billions of naira properties lost. The wounds of the post-election violence incidents and killings are yet to heal. The Boko Haram would not have become what they are today if the Northern Elders after giving the ‘go’ order for their youth to foment trouble had the capabilities to order them to stop. They really don’t.”

The youths condemned the quit notice, describing it as an aggression against the rest of the country, not just the Igbo and expressed dismay that it is coming when Osibanjo is acting president, and Buhari’s health status unknown, but warned that any attempt to undermine him through the barrel of the gun will be resisted.

“We are suspicious of the action of the Northern Youths and the patronizing attitude of their Elders. We however hope and pray our suspicions are unfounded.

“Coming at a time a Yoruba man is the acting president and the mystery surrounding the health status of the president, it will not be out place to assume the North is on a scheme to ‘make Nigeria ungovernable’ in case there is need for a “doctrine of necessity.

“Any attempt to come in through the barrels of guns, citing insecurity and instability as alibi will be resisted.”

The group in conclusion, said although they are not in support of secession, they would not blame the Igbo if they leave the North before the October 1 deadline.

“While not advocates of secession, we do not blame the Ibos if they leave the North before the deadline given by the children of ‘the landlords’.

“We call on the Presidency to, as a matter of urgency, revisit the reports of the last National Conference and implement the recommendations therein.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria should convoke a meeting of the various tribes aimed at restructuring and determining the terms of our continued coexistence or otherwise, while we advice the nation to consider confederal system of government, where the regions will have 100 percent resource control”