Chairman of the Southwest Governors’ Forum and Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, on Friday warned those agitating for Oodua Nation to perish the thought.
Governor Akeredolu said many lives have been laid down for the unity of the country, vowing that states in the Southwest will not allow any agitation that will scuttle the sacrifices of the Nation’s heroes.
The Governor spoke at the Launching of Emblem Appeal to flag off the 2023 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebrations held at the State Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS) Hall, Akure, the state capital.
Governor Akeredolu, who stressed that the country is too important to him and his administration, said no sit-at-home order will be tolerated in any state in the Southwest.
He said: “Those clamouring for Oodua nation will not succeed. People have not laid down their lives for this country for unscrupulous individuals to scuttle it. This country is very important to some of us.
“We recognize the right of the people to protest or agitate. But if the police feel your actions are treasonable, they will arrest and prosecute you.
“It is not at this stage in the history of this country that we will repeat IPOB in Yoruba land. Opportunity beacons at us. We cannot afford to throw away that opportunity.
“We must work to ensure that there is power shift. The opportunity for presidency to come to the south, especially the Southwest, is around the corner.
“We will not sit down and support anyone clamouring for Oodua nation. We will not support it. We have fought for this with everything we had. Nigeria will be good”
The agitation for the establishment of an Oodua nation for the Yorubas’ of SouthWest and Other parts of Nigeria had gained ground following attacks by unknown people that many said were Fulani herdsmen.
The agitations were led by Chief Sunday Adeyemo also known as Igboho whose home later came under attack from a combined team of Operatives of the Department of State Services and the Nigerian Army, he has since been in detention in Benin Republic after his escape from the assault on his residence.
