Yoruba Nation agitators: We are not a part of the planned nationwide protest

The Yoruba Self-Determination Movement (YSDM) stated on Wednesday that the movement is more concerned with the actualization of the Yoruba nation than with the planned statewide demonstration, claiming that Nigeria’s democracy deficit is detrimental to everyone.

This was said in a statement issued by the organization and signed by its General Secretary, Moses Abiodun Ojo, titled “The Nigerian Youths’ Planned Protest,” which stated that Nigerians have the constitutional right to peacefully protest bad government, which no one can refuse them.

According to Ojo, US DM, the YSDM, led by Professor Banji Akintoye and Chief (Dr) Sunday Adeyemo, nicknamed Sunday Igboho, has been focused on the peaceful separation of our Yoruba Nation from Nigeria.

He stated in the statement, “Our position is for Yoruba Nation autonomy. For example, on August 6th, 2022, we wrote a letter to the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, and on April 17th, 2024, we submitted a similar letter to the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, both asking discourse on the Yoruba desire to leave Nigeria.

“On Monday, July 29th, 2024, the YSDM issued an official letter to Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, which included copies of the two letters we had given to Nigerian Presidents.

“These actions are proof of our continued pursuit of peaceful means of separation according to international rules that guarantee self-determination for Indigenous peoples.”

“While we support citizens’ rights to protest peacefully, we urge the Yoruba youths, especially, to be law-abiding in whatever they choose to do during this time.”

The YSDM went on to say, “We also encourage our Yoruba youths to fiercely defend our Yoruba heritage by ensuring that no government mercenaries or foreign terrorists use the protest to destroy our infrastructures and resources.”

“The YSDM is forced to reveal at this stage that we have credible intelligence indicating that the Fulani Cabal, in collaboration with certain government law enforcement officials, has decided to use the youth protest as cover for their deadly destructive intentions to murder our Yoruba citizens and harm/hurt our communities and infrastructures.

Ojo, on the other hand, warned Yoruba folks to be particularly watchful amid any disturbance that these dangerous operations may cause.

He observed that, as a follow-up to the Kenyan youths’ protest on July 23rd, 2024, rumors of protests by Nigerian youths have been circulating in all media channels and escalating with each passing day.

“The Nigerian youths’ protest is anticipated to start anytime within the next few days and the message from the Yoruba Self-Determination Movement (YSDM), under the leadership of the Yoruba Oracle & National Leader Professor Banji Akintoye, is that of respect for the rule of law on the parts of the government and citizens, especially our Yoruba Citizens” ,