A traditional ruler in Osun State, Olowu Of Owu-Kuta, Makama Oyelude has advised Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, to turn himself in for arrest and drop the agitation for the Yoruba Nation.
The Department of State Services had declared Adeyemo wanted and asked him to surrender himself for arrest at any security agency after raiding his residence in Ibadan and killing two of his supporters.
Fielding questions from journalists on Sunday, Oba Oyelude, who described rising agitations for secession in Southern Nigeria as “dead on arrival,” called on Adeyemo to leave his hideout and surrender himself for arrest before it would be too late.
The paramount Yoruba king of Owu kingdom admonished secession agitators to dialogue with the Federal Government arguing that “no one dare face the Federal Government and succeed.”
He said, “I am not part of agitations for secession by separatists and unpatriotic Nigerians and I can’t be part of it. Even though Nigerians doesn’t favour all, we shouldn’t secede. Without consultations, you cannot be talking of secession and that’s why even the Obas are not discussing it.
“They (agitators) will find it difficult from seceding because it’s dead on arrival. Federal Government is the father of the nation and the separatist movement is not a cheap struggle; It is like you are waging arms against the State. Suffering, hardship and internal bickerings will greet regions that secede.
“Nobody dare face the Federal might and succeed. I will advise the agitators to dialogue with the Federal Government. They have had ample opportunity to do so now when it’s ripe. Sunday Igboho can give himself voluntarily to the Federal Government rather than they go fishing him out like Nnamdi Kanu. There is no place for him to hide,” the monarch declared.
Oba Oyelude said he was supporting calls for restructuring, stressing, “let our Governors look inward and allow Local Government to have autonomy. Enough of this hire and fire approach. The State Governments have sniffled the local government area and that’s why I agree with the Attorney General of the Federation, Malami, on his task to governors to allow autonomy in their states.”
“I will support a holistic, clearly defined restructuring rather than secession. Local Government is the bedrock of every intelligence gathered in the grassroots and if the local government is well organised, then the problem of insecurity will be solved. If we don’t allow local government to have autonomy, security situations will continue to persist,” the monarch disclosed.
