Founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress, Frederick Fasehun, has described the destruction of Chief Olu Falae’s farm in Akure by cattle belonging to Fulani herdsmen as an embarrassment to the Yoruba race, while also calling on the people of Yorubaland to defend their territories.
The farm of Falae, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, was destroyed barely two weeks after the herdsmen kidnapped him and detained him in the bush until a ransom was paid, releasing after four days.
Fasehun, who spoke at the Yoruba Summit in Ibadan on Thursday, said Yoruba’s patience with the Fulani herdsmen, who he accused of killing and raping their hosts, had been exhausted.
He therefore called for a radical approach to curb the deadly activities of the herdsmen.
Fasehun added, “We can no longer continue to preach patience when our guests are disrespecting our territorial integrity. As it is, the territorial integrity of the Yoruba race is at risk. This is the time for the Yoruba people, especially the youth, to stand up and defend their nation.
“We do not have to depend on the Fulani herdsmen cattle when we have goats and chicken here. If it is confrontation, we are prepared to confront these people. Enough is enough.
“These killing, kidnapping and raping by these people on our land must stop. When violence confronts violence, we will achieve peace. We have been preaching peace for 55 years but peace has not been sustained.”
While saying there was still room for dialogue, Fasehun said the visitors must learn to live with their hosts in Yorubaland.
He stated, “I believe in dialogue but it must have an end. In Oyo State during Lam Adesina era, the present President of the country, Muhammadu Buhari, came to Ibadan to complain to the governor that his people, the Fulani herdsmen, were being confronted by the indigenous farmers.
“Now that Buhari is the President, the Fulanis had the courage to traverse the entire land space from the North to kidnap Falae in a corner of Nigeria. How much patience do you want 50 million Yoruba people to have again? Nigeria belongs to all of us. The invasion must stop. We should inform those who are violating the integrity of our people to stop.”
At the event, which was attended by prominent Yoruba elders, leader of the OPC, Gani Adams, blamed the invasion of the Fulani herdsmen on disunity in Yoruba land.
He said, “We lost Yoruba unity because we disregard the strength of our language. We only react, we are never prepared. The issue is beyond Falae; unless we address it quickly. We must put politics aside and we must restructure Nigeria on the basis of true federalism.”
Punch.
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