A coalition of Yoruba groups, pan-Yoruba National Alliance, has
dismissed the notion that Lagos is a no-man’s land. The group,
therefore, warned non-indigenes in the state to be sensitive to the
culture and sensibilities of the Yoruba.
The group , which is a coalition of youths drawn from Oodua Nationalists
Coalition, Oodua Liberation Movement and the Oodua Peoples Congress,
among others, said this even as some Igbo groups in Lagos tabled a
seven-point agenda before Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, demanding that he
appoints some Igbo into his cabinet.
The PAYNA youths, who took to the streets to protest on Tuesday, warned
that any attempt to marginalise the Yoruba in Lagos would be resisted.
A leader of the group, Mr. Araoye Akinwunmi, said, “This is a symbolic
rally to warn against the assault on Yoruba heritage. We are sick of
people who trample on our heritage even though they make their millions
on our territory. The Yoruba will no longer accept the conscious attempt
to turn us into slaves on our own land.”
The youths also denounced the purported siege laid to the Dallas, Texas
office of Dr. Ariyo Adeniran, a renowned cardiologist in the United
States by some Igbo in the Diaspora.
The group said the offence committed by the doctor was that he supported
the Oba of Lagos, Riliwanu Akiolu, who said that anyone that moved
against Ambode would perish in the lagoon.
Also speaking at the event, Mr. Martins Adeleke, another leader of PAYNA
said, “This is a symbolic rally. More will come. Our actions will be
determined by the proportional response to our demand that if you are
living in Rome, you must respect the Pope. If you are living in Yoruba
land, you must show respect to our age-long values and our cherished
heritage.”
“Thousands of our Igbo brothers all over the world have been waging war
against this innocent Yoruba person whose offence was that he supported
the outcry of Oba Akiolu that anyone who supports the retrogression of
Lagos will be consumed by the goddess of the sea.”
He alleged that Igbo companies have launched a ‘reciprocal
discrimination campaign’ against Yoruba employees in companies located
in Yoruba territory
Punch
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