Edo, Ondo Governorship Polls : Elites must set up intervention projects on Voters' Education at assisting electorates to make informed decisions — Bolaji Akinyemi

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Edo and Ondo states are currently in the news in the nation's political firmament. We cornered the renowned Political and Governmental Analyst Dr. Bolaji O. Akinyemi, an Apostle and Nation Builder, to air his candid analysis of the current situation in the aforementioned states; here's excerpts from the interview:

O. A:

What is your assessment of governance impact in Edo State? If you think the impact falls beyond expectations, what are your personal recommendations?

 *Ans:* The challenge of Governance Impact Assessment is complicated by the benchmark set by relevant international bodies given to it, such as International Association of Impact Assessment and of course the confrontations of our Clime as operating environment for democracy.

Let me take it one after the other. 

The benchmark for measuring Governance Impact Assessment internationally favours developed democracy more than developing democracy. It focuses on freedom, respect of the rights of individuals, the rule of law and adherence to separation of powers.

 If that is the basis to judge Obaseki's last four years, he is internationally, a failure!

 The clampdown on the Legislative Arm of Government for the better part of his administrative life over the state should be of concern to sincere Democrats like myself. 

Local Government Administration and elections into the third tier of government went through torture in his hands, a usual game by our Governors; another unpleasant experience under Obaseki! 

To think that the same person will find the legislative arm useful at concluding his fallout with Shuaibu is unbelievable that all we need is to draw our conclusions from the sad reality of our liliy-livered Legislators who are items to be purchased by the highest bidder in the political market!

 However, in the context of the needs of the people of Edo State, I will rate him above average. You know our politicians are capable of drilling a borehole beside a river! If you know what that means. The people will still travel their usual distances to the river bank to fetch the same water they have always fetched. It may be cleaner in appearance because it has filtered through the soil to flow through pipes but it's still the same water from the river with all its impurities flowing through a tap, which is enough to excite the poor and illiterates among us!

It is important that the Government Impact Assessment (GIA) for Edo and Ondo States be properly conducted. 

 Well, the Executives of PVC Naija, led by President Paula Bellgam would want me to step aside from being part of the GIA Committee for Edo State, given my confrontation with His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over Obaseki. 

Sincerely, in retrospect, I think the President was right about Obaseki being autocratic in disposition which is not good for the development of our democracy!

If the development of Democracy is at the mercy of a virile opposition then, we are at a crossroads on Edo. 

For how do we in all honesty support APC, a party that is already showing the glide towards a one party state at the national level against PDP in Edo because of Obaseki who is on his way out for being Autocratic?

Unfortunately, Labour Party's eyes are not on this ball at all!

The challenge of this autocratic allegation is that Ogie for me is another Obaseki and he is on the PDP Ticket's pair. A burden that Asue Ighodalo doesn't deserve!

 The hallmark of democratic leadership is in keeping your words. Does Ogie keep his word? Of all the many failings of President Tinubu, you can't accuse him for not keeping his word. Well, I will talk at the time most appropriate on Edo election in my capacity as Bolaji O. Akinyemi before the election. Development of our Democracy is stranded presently because the best opposition institution we have ever had in APC is now in power running government with media and propaganda tools which the opposition should be doing. And PDP as the leading opposition are content with the arrogance of "the people can see what we are doing". They are out of the Government but have refused to accept their new status as the leading opposition party. Put little me side by side PDP on opposition of government policy engagement and draw your conclusion of PDP failure as an opposition!

 PDP should be out in partnership with the media, invest in propaganda machinery to set the records straight and educate the public. On these, PDP is dead and we may soon have to bury it! 

Unfortunately, LP is not taking advantage of this, their Ambassador in power is too refined for politics and its games. I hope he won't pay dearly for this in the next election. Politics is more about talking than doing, Otti is all doing and not talking! On this I am sincerely concerned for him and the LP!

 Not even in almighty America is politics different!

Trump is first of all, a mouthy candidate rather than a better candidate compared to Biden. Democracy is the same everywhere, this for me, is the reason the Edo debacle should be pragmatically considered in view of all perspectives before we choose the side to go with.

Otti's acceptance of the leadership role that destiny has bestowed on him can change the game in Edo, Ondo, Anambra or other state for that matter. 

What APC is today can't be divorced from the assessment and perception of Lagos with Tinubu as the Governor!

O.A:

What do you think are the expectations of the people of the state and to what extent has the governor fallen within or below their expectations?

 *Ans:* Expectations today are relative, I know this question is asked with a particular reference to Edo. But it applies to all our states. Expectations are amoebic, changing shape and patterns. The masses are too hungry to care about real development. People are concerned about where their next meal will come from, whoever is used to make this happen will be an influence at swinging the pendulum of power! 

This is what a candidate like Ayedatiwa will be banking on and he is privileged to the treasury to have that done!

 But the Elites in Edo and Ondo must set up intervention projects on Voters' Education at assisting the electorates to make informed decisions at the poll. A wrong decision by the poor masses will bounce back if we don't get involved as Elites in practical terms!

 That is what is bouncing back in Kogi, which is a neighbouring state to both Edo and Ondo. The impunity of our political class and oppressive nature of Governance must concern us. The Elite class, not political, but business and intellectuals have kept more Nigerians going since the last election held in 2023! Why won't they come together to get their state running?

O.A:

The primary election in Ondo State that was held on Saturday, April 20th, is said to be fraught with electoral irregularities. To what extent is this rumour true and what should the INEC do?

 *Ans:* Where was Usman Ododo, Governor of Kogi State and the Chairman of APC Committee on the Primary election in Ondo State? He was possibly more concerned about helping Yahaya Bello escape from the arm of the law than attending to the responsibility of conducting a free and fair primary election. APC should produce a picture of Ododo taken anywhere in Ondo State on the day of the primary. What was witnessed in Ondo was an abduction of democracy and its supervisory institution by the power of incumbency in all the 203 wards of the 18 Local Government Area of the State. What was the party expecting from a man like Ododo? That primary was a charade and further confirmation of "Emilokanology" at determining APC primaries after the pattern that produced Tinubu. Ayedatiwa took it to the gutters! I had made a recommendation to APC Delegates to rally round Prof Dayo Fajuyile in a video I titled my advice to APC Delegates. Dayo Fajuyile, for heaven's sake is a Professor of Forensic medicine. The greatest challenge of Ondo State is the departure of her youth from her once upon a time cherished value on education. There is the need to project the future and mentor the youth through political leadership which is what I expected from all political parties in Ondo to be able to wean Ondo youth from easy milk of Yahoo trade to which the majority of them are sold by example of certificateless leaders without any known means of livelihood before politics. Ondo has lost its rating in WAEC performance, its now almost on the same level with the so-called educationally disadvantaged States of the core North. Dayo would have been a rekindling of value for education. 

But APC had squandered that. We can only hope that PDP will get it right. The biggest selling point any political party could be privileged of, is to have an Aspirant who is the highest single indigenous tax payer asking for the party's ticket. On this alone, I expected PDP to have opted for a consensus in Bosun. But you know what? APC and PDP are head or tail of the same coin. Let's hope PDP will not fall into the snare that APC is right now!

 If Bosun Arebuwa doesn't get PDP ticket and APC refused to address the scam of a primary conducted in Ondo as it did in Edo then the tone of disappointment of the youthful components of our electorates that would have been divided between APC and PDP but rallied to become the force that powered the 3rd horse called the Obedient in the last general election may be the lot of Ondo!

Give me a credible candidate on the platform of the Labour party, backed by Otti and I will deliver Ondo to opposition. What exactly am I saying? Ondo, as a South West State must go to the opposition if we hope to save our democracy from the one party state that recent regular dinner at Bourdillon is aiming it for. PDP is better positioned to make this happen. I hope they do.

O.A:

Do you think Gov. Aiyedatiwa, having served under the late Rotimi Akeredolu and later replaced him as gov has what it takes to emerge as winner of the forthcoming governorship election? 

 *Ans:* A man can't give what he doesn't have. Ayedatiwa needs to prove his personal content. You can simply tell the capacity of a leader by their respect and enthusiasm for ideas and that I have not seen in him. Nevertheless, It will be unfair to conclude on him but sincerely the pragmatism and charisma of Akeredolu is yet to be seen. 

O.A:

Do you think he has what it takes to replicate Akeredolu's legacies if he eventually wins the election?

 *Ans:* An idea of Governance Impact Assessment on Akeredolu was presented to him. Can he count on his fingertips the projects of Akeredolu? He missed the opportunity to take stock of Akeredolu years and reflect on the failures, appreciate the success, quantify the gap and how to fill them. Okitipupa has been in darkness for 15 years, that is the prime city of his political zone. What has he done since becoming a Governor to address that? What is the basis for him to expect that Okitipupa should give him their votes.

O.A:

How would you assess Ondo politics in the context of power sharing and governance impact?

*Ans*: on Governance Impact Assessment, I wouldn't want to let the cat out of the bag. It will be conducted on Akeredolu/Ayedatiwa years and the result will be out to guide the electorate in Ondo. As for the unwritten power sharing formula in the state, it goes to confirm my position that Ondo and Edo are unpredictable. The natural injustice and political oppression that is common across the country has no home in both states. Parties with internal justice stand a greater chance in both states.

O.A:

What roles have your NGOs played in shaping credible election and good governance in both Edo and Ondo states?

*Ans*: Thank you for this question. I am privileged to be the founder of Project Victory Call Initiative, aka PVC-Naija, as the name suggests we operate through projects to fulfill our mandate of political education and advocacy towards equipping the electorate at performing their civic responsibilities dutifully and peacefully. Community Ambassador for Peaceful Election was set up in the states during their last election in 2020. iWalk another awareness walk held in both states before the last general election to say no to Vote buying. Adding our new product; Governance Impact Assessment to that before the election in Ondo and Edo can only better the lots of the electorate at making informed decisions at the polls.

Aiyedatiwa!

By

abiodun KOMOLAFE 

Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu is dead! May God repose his soul! Since nature abhors a vacuum, his Deputy, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has now been sworn-in as the substantive governor of the state. May God order his steps in the onerous tasks ahead!

By the way, if Aiyedatiwa could become the governor despite the intimidations from those whose hearts were made of rocks, nothing is impossible on earth. But then, this is just the beginning of what to expect in the foreseeable future, especially if the Obe-Nla, Ondo State-born politician is eyeing Alagbaka as its Chief Tenant, post-February 23, 2025. Interestingly, the governor’s many battles and subsequent triumph must have exposed him to the politics of Abuja. He can only build on this rare feat. Again, this is where playing politics through the party structures in the state comes in.

Isaac Kekemeke! Olusola Oke! Jimoh Ibrahim! Agboola Ajayi! Yele Omogunwa! ‘Bourdillon Boy’ Adewale Akinterinwa! Lucky Aiyedatiwa! But where did Ondo State miss it? For those who have refused to give hope to their people when it’s badly needed only to start scheming for the soul of the state invites an obvious question of development. Take, for instance, at least four Local Governments in the Ondo South Senatorial District of the state (Irele, Okitipupa, Ilaje and Ese-Odo) have been subjected to uninterrupted darkness since 2014. But, rather than rally to solve the problem, its leaders have always been candidates for _“to your tent, O Israel”,_ until elections beckon.

As an oil-bearing community, Ilajeland statutorily produces Commissioners for the _Niger Delta Development Corporation_ (NDDC). Otito Atikase, who currently serves as Ondo State Representative on the NDDC Governing Board, is from Ugbo Kingdom. On his part, IfeOluwa Oyedele, the current Executive Director (Engineering and Technical Services) at the _Niger Delta Power Holding Company_ (NDPHC), is from Igodan-Lisa in Okitipupa. Besides, Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Governments supply the Chairman, Secretary and two other members to the _Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission_ (OSOPADEC); and that’s a permanent feature. Discreet investigations also revealed a special derivation budgetary provision which accords the Senatorial District special attention.

But why can’t these leaders learn from the Akoko cultural sub-group of the state? When a similar challenge befell Akokoland some years back, the late Pastor T. B. Joshua was reportedly contacted and he promptly rose to the occasion. He committed a huge sum of his personal resources to it, and, within three months, Akoko North East, Akoko North West, Akoko South East and Akoko South West Local Governments were reconnected to the national grid. Other donors showed up only after _‘Emmanuel’_ had already saved the day. The dangerous truth is that Ondo South is blessed with sons and daughters, some of whom are even wealthier than T.B. Joshua but whose wealth has not impacted their people. Well, that’s a story for another day!

With his death, Akeredolu now belongs in the past and there’s nothing anybody can do about it. So, as the world is now Aiyedatiwa’s, let it be noted that the worst is yet to happen to the _‘Sunshine State’,_ especially as political activities are expected to heat up in the coming days. Typical of Nigerians, those who lost out in past battles won’t want to let go of fate. The defeated will be expected to return to the trenches to devise new ways and means. But only for a while, they’ll return with deadlier plots to undermine the governor’s position, with one primary aim: prevent him from securing the party’s ticket to contest the next Ondo governorship election, slated for November 16, 2024. So, it is a matter of who blinks first. For luck to keep smiling on Aiyedatiwa depends on how seriously he takes the mantle handed over to him by providence. It is what will define the shape, size and trend of things to come. Therefore, the governor needs to beware of banana peels on his path to success. If his ambition is to retain the seat of power, he needs to do more.

Aiyedatiwa needs to study the body language of Abuja before jumping into the governorship race. Otherwise, it may amount to daring the lion in its den and the resultant _‘roforofo’_ will be a burden too heavy to bear for a state that’s already lacking in good governance. Twice or thrice in Nigeria’s recent history, Bola Tinubu has sponsored candidates for the governorship position in Ondo State; twice or thrice, he has lost out. But that was then! The music has changed: power has smiled on the _‘Jagaban of Borgu’_ and Tinubu is now the President of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, with all the principalities and powers of that exalted office answerable to him. If the president wants, this is the time to exact his pound of flesh and right-thinking Nigerians needn’t take its likely implications for granted.

Yes, time may be no more on Aiyedatiwa’s side. However, those who think that he will take it cool or play by the rules are likely to be living in fool’s paradise. Similarly, those with the notion that the now-wounded _‘Aketi Boys’_ and other interested parties in the political game will shy away from spoiling the show for the governor are yet to wake up from slumber. According to Femi Afolabi-Peters, a United Kingdom-based International Security and Intelligence Consultant, _“all the events of the past months were nothing but politics of succession, especially, by those who believed they had brighter chances than the governor.”_ 

In the words of the Specialist in Clandestine Security Operations, _“power is not served ‘a la carte’. You gotta have a solid plan of action and seamless execution trajectory. Aiyedatiwa’s becoming the governor would bestow on him more powers and that’s bad news for those who professed love for Akeredolu but, in reality, they’re after self-interests anchored on survival instincts. Deep down their hearts, they’re only capitalizing on the late governor’s health situation to covertly advance their personal political agenda”_ 

I also share Afolabi-Peter’s views. Now that Aiyedatiwa’s head has paved the way for him, the onus is on him to wield it responsibly, lest his traducers pee on him. Going forward, he needs to embark on surreptitious political loyalty operations, all with a view to separating the whiff from the chaff because saboteurs abound within every structure. Many more will align with the governor in the coming days, of course, with the sole purpose of killing him gradually from within. Who says Betty, Akeredolu’s wife, Babajide, his son, and other perfect storms of the Aketi political tendency won’t attempt to extend an olive branch to him? Who says the governor shouldn’t accept that open-heartedly, at least for some political advantages? Who says Aiyedatiwa shouldn’t be circumspect and be as wise as a fox? Besides, hasn’t the Wike-Fubara feud again shown that Nigeria’s political model is devoid of morals and that one can only triumph if he plays the game like _‘professional bastards’?_ Surely certainly, one who thinks otherwise had better enroll in the seminary and quit this _‘evil vocation’._ 

Lastly, a cross-section of Nigerians is reportedly of the opinion that Aiyedatiwa is scant in giving and that he has no political base. It also insists that, although the governor is a child of circumstance who only survived molestation from the _‘Aketi Boys’_ by some dint of luck, he is lacking in goodwill. As such, he is the least person that can be presented by his people. Of course, these are weighty remarks, especially in a democracy like ours. But then, it is not too late for Aiyedatiwa to overcome these rather messy calibrations. He only needs to learn at the feet of President Tinubu.

May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant them peace in Ondo State!

 _*KOMOLAFE wrote in from Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State, Nigeria ([email protected]; 08098614418 - SMS only)_

Jide Sowore's Burial: our Gratitude

Today, I am returning to you ALL for your support, companionship and sympathy extended towards our family over the untimely but gruesome murder of our beloved brother, Olajide Sowore.

 Of particular note are those early callers who commiserated with our family when this dastardly incident broke, we must here specially mention our comrades who took the risk to be physically present at his funeral and those who joined virtually across the world and stayed till my brother was interned at Kiribo, our home town.

We reserve a special place for pathologists, lawyers and a handful of law enforcement officers who though limited by prevailing incompetence on the police did their personal best to assist the family by fully cooperating to ensure that a befitting burial was done.

We send our regards to compatriots who defy our family rejection of fundraising to provide their token of support to our brother’s immediate family.

We are immensely grateful to each and everyone who took out tome to drop a comment, salutations and words of encouragement throughout this period.

 Finally we thank the authorities of Igbinedion University in Okada for their generosity in providing a motor hearse to convey our brother to his final resting place.

It is important to state that our commitment by oining in popular efforts to bring about revolutionary change in Nigeria remains unwavering.

Felix Olajide Sowore was killed near Okada in Edo state by the yet to be identify suspected herdsmen.

Insecurity under Major Gen Muhammadu Buhari led pro fulani herdsmen federal government has claimed uncountable lives.

Jide Sowore's death: Picture showing bullet-ridden vehicle

Picture showing bullet-ridden vehicle driven Jide Sowore, when he was murdered on Ore-Benin highway this morning on his way to Benin City from school where he was studying Pharmacy.

Felix Olajide Sowore

Felix Olajide Sowore is the immediate younger brother of the national chairman of the African Action Congress, AAC Activist Omoyele Sowore who contested the 2019 presidential election against the incumbent Major Gen Muhammadu Buhari.

Omoyele Sowore has been unjustly incarcerated and restricted to Abuja by the Buhari led tyrannical Regime.

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE DEATH OF ADEYINKA DANIEL, 200 LEVEL STUDENT OF FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY AKURE

The Management of the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA expresses deep sadness at the demise of one of its students, Adeyinka Daniel, 200 level, Software Engineering, in the early hours of August 3, 2021 following an automobile incident along Oyemekun Road Akure. We commiserate and identify with family , friends and fellow students of the deceased on this very painful loss of a promising student.
The university is particularly saddened by the circumstances leading to his death.

From available information the deceased student along with others were involved in an accident outside the campus around 10 PM on August 2, 2021. They were first taken to a private hospital where doctors battled to save their lives. Four of the students were stabilized but Daniel’s condition remained critical. When the condition of the student deteriorated the doctor at the Private Hospital referred him to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo for expert intervention.

At that time the parents of the student and some relations had joined him at the Private Hospital and it was decided, because of time factor, to bring him to the University Health Centre. The deceased student was brought to the University Health Centre at 3.20 AM and the doctor on duty promptly attended to the student in the car of the parents. According to him, all resuscitative efforts proved abortive; there was no cardiac activity and response to any stimuli. And by 3.40 AM he declared that he was brought in clinically dead. The doctor offered to take the boy to the morgue with the University Ambulance but the parents declined electing to take him home ostensibly for burial.

The Medical report from the Private Hospital which was brought along with him indicates that the student was clinically non responsive by 1.30 AM well before they got to the University Health Centre at 3.20 AM.

The death is unfortunate and regrettable.

The University has ordered an immediate review of the incident in order to ascertain the circumstances leading to it .
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the deceased student. The University is also monitoring the state of treatment of the other students who were also involved in the unfortunate accident.

We pray that the Almighty God will grant the family and friends of the deceased the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Mr Richard Arifalo
Registrar, FUTA
August 3,2021

#RevolutionNow: We demand Ondo state Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to immediately release these 4 innocent Nigerians

We demand the immediate release of these 4 innocent Nigerians that were illegally arrested and locked up in Surulere Prison, Ondo Town by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu since October 2020 .

Akeredolu accused them of setting an APC office ablaze during the EndSARS Protest.  We found the allegations to be untrue because these young Nigerians were picked up at other locations and they were not even protesting. 

Rotimi Akeredolu is a governor in a democratic setting and not a king. He can't just lock people up because he feels like.

#FreeOndo4 now

https://twitter.com/AyRevolutionary/status/1406503780439498756?s=09

@rotimiaketi #FreeOndo4 #FreeKemisola NOW!

#June12Protest #BuhariMustGo #RevolutionNow

Fulani Invaders In Large Numbers Enter Ondo Town, Armed With AK-47s—Source

More than two truckloads of Fulani herdsmen armed with AK-47s have reportedly arrived in Igoba Community in the Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State. 

According to SaharaReporters quoting a source on condition of anonymity, the two truckloads of herdsmen entered the town in the wee hours of Thursday. 

The source also alleged that they were all armed with AK-47 rifles, arriving at the remote part of the town which is basically surrounded by bushes. “This morning around 3 am, two trailers filled with a troop of Fulani men armed with AK-47s entered the town.

“The Fulani herdsmen have captured Igoba, in Akure North, they plan to attack, they came in their numbers. That place is not that developed, it's basically surrounded by bush. The Fulani herdsmen have even become indigenes at Igoba, they live there, speak Yoruba fluently, they are the ones providing accommodation to the ones who just arrived.

“Aside from that, early this morning, in another part of Akure, at Oja Oba market, the Fulani herdsmen attacked some women. The Fulani herdsmen were in Army uniforms but they are not soldiers, they struck some with knives, they injured people but they didn't stay for long, they did what they wanted to do and left.

“Please, we want the government to come to our aid, the security agencies should also rise to their duties. People should not die for nothing.”

Earlier, the residents of Adeoye, Akinrimisi and Ajaye in Ondo Town, Ondo State had expressed fear as they had observed Fulani herdsmen in their numbers invading their areas with weapons and setting up hideouts for an imminent attack.

It was also learnt that the Fulani herdsmen attacked one of the areas on Monday night up till Tuesday morning, in a “test-run” as residents lamented that the police and the soldiers deployed in their area only extort money from motorists and turn their backs on the attackers.

Some weeks back, many of the invaders were apprehended in Okitipupa, a local government in the southern part of the state. They were turned back by the state.

Gunmen Hijack School Bus In Ondo

A school attendant has been released few hours after some gunmen hijacked a school bus and abducted the staff of the private school, on Thursday morning in Ondo State.

Abducted attendant

Some gunmen on Thursday morning hijacked a school bus in Oba ile Estate of Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo state.

The Precision NG understands that the Gunmen abducted one person who was on duty to convey children to school.

The incident occurred around 6:45am while the driver and the attendant were moving round to pick the Pupils of Chimola School, situated inside the Estate.

A source in the school explained that the gunmen numbering about eight who were on motorcycles, rounded the vehicle, forcing the driver to stop.

He said the eight men who were armed with guns, cutlass and some other weapons, dragged the drivers down from the vehicle and threatened to kill him.

He said the bus with registration number Lagos LSD 853 FJ with Chimola Schools inscribed on it was driven away by one of the hijackers while others moved away from the scene on motorcycles.

He said “the driver and the attendant were about to pick the first student when the incident happened. The gunmen rounded the vehicle and came down with dangerous weapons

“The driver was dragged down from the bus while one of them take the driver’s seat and drove off with the attendant in the bus.

“The whereabouts of the attendant is still unknown but we have reported the incident at the Oba ile Police station.

“This is the first time we are experiencing this kind of situation here. It is quite unfortunate.”

When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) could not confirm the incident, saying he has not been briefed, but promised to confirm from the Divisional Police Officer in the area.

© *_Comrade m o oluwaseun_*

Happy birthday to Okunfeyijimi Feyisara ( Bamiyo, Moyo fun o)

Happy birthday to a friend, brother and a TRUSTED ALLY Okunfeyijimi Feyisara (Bamiyo, Mo yo fun o).

It's my prayer that our God grant you peace of mind and sound health as you  journeying through onother 365 days.

Ore, may your days and strength be renewed like that of the eagles and you keep soaring like never before.

CHEERS!!!


Comrade 'Dele Abiola

Akintoye Writes South West Govs, says Terrorists Have Encircled Yoruba Land, Urges People to Wake Up

Says "New Covid-19 Mid-night Curfew Is An Attempt to Import Terrorists Into Yoruba Land"

Advises RCCG, Winners Chapel, MFM, Synagogue, Deeper Life, Ibadan and Lagos Central Mosques to beef up security around their premises 

Wednesday 12th May, 2021

Renowned Historian and Second Republic Member of the Senate, Prof. Banji Akintoye has raised an alarm, alleging that terrorists have invaded and encircled the South West Geo-political zone of Nigeria.

In a letter personally written by him to all South West Governors, the leader of the apex Yoruba Self-Determination Group, Ilana Omo Oodua, urged the leaders to be vigilant and ensure that their fatherland is not captured by foreign invaders.

Akintoye, according to a statement made available to Newsmen on Wednesday by his Communications Manager, Maxwell Adeleye, declared that the new midnight curfew announced by the Nigerian Government to curtail the spread of Covid-19 in Nigeria looks suspicious with clandestine motives.

While urging Yoruba people, especially the younger generations to wake up and be extra-vigilant, Akintoye alleged that the previous Covid-19 lockdown from March to May 2020 was used to import terrorists from the North to the Southern parts of Nigeria, especially, to the south-west, stressing that "people must therefore be very careful and observant now"

He advised some top religion centres in South West such as The Redeemed Christians Church of God (RCCG) Redemption Camp, Winners Chapel's Faith Terbanacle, Deeper Life Bible Church's Camp, Mountain of Fire's Camp, Synagogue Church of All Nations's Headquarters and the prestigious Central Mosque buildings in Lagos and Ibadan, to beef-up security around their premises.

The lengthy statement, as written by Akintoye, read in parts:

"This is an alert from Ilana Omo Oodua to the Yoruba people at home and in the Diaspora. The situation that has developed in Nigeria in recent days calls for the uttermost vigilance of the Yoruba nation, and every Yoruba man, woman, and child.

"There is danger that if we don't mount that high level of vigilance today, very serious pains can be inflicted upon us as a nation and on countless numbers of citizens of our nation. 

"A few days ago, precisely, Saturday, the 8th of May, I sent a very desperate letter to the six Governors of the Yoruba Southwest. The letter reads as follows:

"Your Excellencies, the Governors of the Yoruba Southwest. This is a very desperate message from me to the State Governors of our Yorubaland in the face of the impending escalation of the ongoing invasion of our homeland. A combination of Fulani terrorists, Boko Haram and ISIS have occupied Niger State which is immediately north of Yorubaland, thereby providing for themselves very easy access into Yorubaland through the Yoruba parts of Kwara and Kogi States. 

"Then, recently, the US has issued a statement that ISIS has infiltrated Southern Nigeria from the sea-- meaning that the coast of Lagos, Ogun and Ondo States have been infiltrated.

"Our situation has thus become desperate and requires desperate actions from our State Governors. I feel obliged to devote much attention to the study of our Yoruba nation's vicissitudes in these terrible times, and from such studies, I am hereby raising an informed alarm to the Governors of our States. I humbly and passionately urge our Governors to come together to give the needed response to the danger that threatens to engulf our Yorubaland in, most probably, the next few days. 

"It is very well known that the signature action of these foreign terrorist organisations is to first destroy prominent assets of the society that they attack. That could mean that major public and private buildings in Lagos and Ibadan, particularly the hugely symbolic Cocoa House in Ibadan, would be their immediate targets. 

"By the grace of God, we will ultimately expel them from our homeland, but by then, very many valuable assets of our nation might have been wrecked. This is something that we can and must prevent by preempting them with our own massive defensive measures. 

"I wish our Governors God's wisdom and strength as they rise together to do the desperately needful now. I trust you all to make the best decision, but I respectfully urge that you also borrow a leaf from what Governor Ortom has done in his Benue State. 

"With my greatest regards. Prof Banji Akintoye."

"That was last Saturday. Now, in the past 24 hrs, that is, since late Monday, May 10, 2021, more troubling developments have occurred. First, the Secretary to the Nigerian Federal Government, Boss Mustapha, went on air and announced a number of Federal Government measures which were said to be made necessary by COVID 19. The measures included Nigerian-wide curfews, a limit of the congregation of persons to 50, closing down of bars and night clubs, among others. 

"However, while members of the Nigerian public were still pondering the Federal Government's announcement, another highly placed official of the same Government, Dr Sani Aliyu, Coordinator of the National Presidential Task Force on COVID 19, came out with a statement that the announcement a night before on lockdown, curfew, and public gathering were fake. He concluded that the public should ignore them.

"We urge the Yoruba people to be aware of what may be happening now. We ask Yoruba people to remember that when the Federal Government announced a lockdown in March 2020, the lockdown was converted to a sinister opportunity to truck countless loads of Fulani terrorists and others to the South, especially to the Yoruba Southwest. We Yoruba people must defend our homeland, our towns, cities, villages, farmlands and our people no matter what anybody else may be doing. 

"Happily, most Yoruba people are no longer in doubt about the danger that confronts their nation in Nigeria, but we need now is to mobilize ourselves in defence of our homeland . The Yoruba people are grateful to the Yoruba youths for the way they have woken up to resist the invasion of Yorubaland by terrorist bandits. 

"The Yoruba youths must take particular cognizance of the following facts: 

"That terrorists have taken over Niger State: That Niger State is the immediate Northern neighbour of Yorubaland; that terrorists now command easy access into Yoruba land through the Yoruba parts of Kwara and Kogi States; a powerful nation, the United States of America, has issued an alert informing Nigeria and the world that ISIS, probably in alliance with other terrorist groups, has infiltrated the Southern parts of Nigeria from the sea; That the Nigerian Federal Government has not responded in any way to all these dangerous developments, which means that we must not wait for any Federal Government to defend us. 

"We Yoruba people must also remember in particular that all past efforts by terrorists in Nigeria have always had special plans for Yorubaland because, as everybody knows, Yorubaland is the home of the richest non-petroleum resources in Nigeria. 

"All these call for a new and higher level of response and vigilance by the Yoruba people. Our youths have been holding mega rallies across cities and that is a very welcome development, but our youths must now respond at a much higher level than mega rallies. They must organise themselves urgently to protect our roads, especially the roads that lead into our homeland. They must ensure that the influx of terrorists and arms into our land definitively stops. 

"Owners and custodians of significant edifices in Yorubaland are strongly advised now to establish formidable security for their edifices. These include bridges, important public and private buildings, churches and such eminent Church estates as the Redeem, Winners, Deeper Life, Mountain of Fire Church camps and the unique Synagogue building of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, and even our most prestigious Central Mosque buildings in Lagos, Ibadan and our other cities. 

"We must remember that when these terrorists broke into Mali Republic some years ago they destroyed the revered mosque of the ancient Sankore University in Timbuktu, the greatest Islamic monument in West Africa. To them, whatever does not qualify as fundamentalist or jihadist deserves to be destroyed.

"The Yoruba people trust their youths because the youths have done a lot of great things in recent times. We know they can do it, and we expect them to do their duty to their nation in these desperate times. Do this for your nation now to secure our nation and carve for yourself an honourable place in history.

"Yoruba youths must also make it clear to the world that NOW is the last and final battle of the Yoruba people against the destructive elements of Nigeria on the Yoruba nation", the statement concluded.

MY INDEPENDENT FINDINGS ABOUT THE FULANIS/HAUSAS THAT CAME TO OKITIPUPA - Odusola

I have carried out my independent findings and I find the following as facts and true;

1. That behind the Army Barracks, Hausas and fulanis numbering over 3,000 are occupying the Army Barracks land and built houses there where the live.

2. That the fulanis/Hausas that we saw 4days ago who were arrested and transported to Akure by Amotekun, didn't come that day, but have been coming in batches day before that day.

3. That as at yesterday, another set came and are already in the army barracks.

4. That the total number of vehicle that brought them was 31. (One should wonder how come no security agency stopped them on their way)

5. That when they got to okitipupa, they headed straight to the Army Barracks, where they are expected to stay for reason best known to those who sent them.

6. That the soldiers at the barracks refused to allow them entry. But later a signal came from above, which directed the C. O of d barracks to allow them into the barracks.

7. That the time it took for the C. O to receive the tignal caused the said fulanis/Hausas to stay a long time at the gate of the barracks, and this gave their presence out to people and the  chairman of local government and Amotekun were alerted.

8. By the time the C. O told them to enter into d barracks, the Amotekun and Local government chairman were already there to question whatever thing was happening there.

9. The soldiers allowed the chairman to question the said strangers and during the interview, they said they belong to a security network and are sent to the barracks to receive training.

10. The chairman asked them if they are soldiers and how come they are to be trained by soldiers when they are not security agents. (They could not answer d questions)

11. Apart from saying that they are members of an unknown security network, they have no other reasonable reason for coming into okitipupa in that large number.

12. As a matter of fact, they are about 1,000 in number and if they are added to the existing numbers in d Army barracks bush, we will be having about 4,000 fulanis/Hausas in okitipupa. (That figure is enough to run down the entire southern senatorial district and the entire southwest of Nigeria)

My conclusion:

The federal government under Major General Muhammadu  Buhari surely has a mission. As it is, the southwest of Nigeria has been surrounded. You may choose not to believe me, but I'm sure of what I am saying.

Amotekun is not enough, we need more volunteer security groups like Eastern security network (ESN). LET'S EVERYBODY START LOOKING FOR GUNS. We must also be watchful, lest we are caught unaware.

As for me, I know what to do when the time comes.

This Government is a terrorist Government.

By Wale Odusola

Ondo Returns Suspected FULANI Invaders

At least, forty-two persons from the northern part of the country who arrived Ondo State with unknown mission have been returned to their states of origin.

According to the daily Post report, the suspected invaders, who were rescued from being lynched at Okitipupa, Ondo state, Nigeria by the Amotekun Corps, were later rounded up and profiled by the security agency.

While parading them in Akure, the commander of the Amotekun corps, Adetunji Adeleye claimed that they came for a private firm security training.

"The explanation provided by the men and women was not satisfactory to the state of government.

“These men and women were first sighted in Okitipupa local government area of Ondo state on Thursday where their arrival created unnecessary tension and apprehension among many residents of the community.

“The people who came from Jigawa and Kano states were said to have come for a mission unknown to government.”

Also speaking on the situation, Commissioner for Information, Donald Ojogo, said “The situation would have degenerated to the extent of lynching and jungle justice. It was almost getting to that point when they were seen in a suspicious manner in Okitipupa but the governor had to rise up to the occasion to ensure that they were given to adequate protection so that jungle justice had to be avoided. That was one of the key points that was achieved in the last 72 hours. It was a very frightening situation.

Ordinarily looking at the insecurity situation in the country, some of this persons would have been molested if not killed but that is not what we want. Whatever is worth doing must be well done and we ensured as a government that they were well protected and taken care of until they were moved out of that danger zone to Akure.”

The suspected invaders were said to have been contacted by their alleged sponsors for a special training.

Meanwhile, they have been escorted by the officers of the Amotekun Corps to the state boundary.

AWOTIB CONDEMNS INJUDICIOUS DETENTION BY ONDO GOVERNMENT: calls for release of Kemisola Oguniyi and others

African Women in TIB* (AWOTIB) condemn in strong terms, the continuing detention of Kemisola Oguniyi and several others who are victims of illegal arrests and unwarranted detention.

One expects every government to support the advocacy to end violence against women. It then becomes worrisome, when teenage girls get arbitrarily arrested and detained during a nationwide protest against oppression, exploitation, and brutality. Such which describe the #EndSARS   protests of October, 2020.

The Akeredolu-led government of Ondo state appears not to appreciate the global role of women and gender justice.

We therefore demand that government adheres to the principles of supremacy of law. Part of which are avoidance of arbitrariness, fairness, and legal transparency.

While urging all Women's organisations, revolutionary movements, the Nigerian Bar Association, and Civil Society groups/organisations to join us in this call for justice, let it be noted that *injustice to one, is injustice to all*.

No woman....No nation.

#VivaAluta✊🚩

*Gift Precious Orupe*

Secretary, AWOTIB

ODUDUWA REPUBLIC: Yoruba Group Plans One Million March Rally Across South-West States

 Ilana Omo Oodua which has been the umbrella body of yoruba self-determination groups on Tuesday announced plans for a one-million-strong march rally in the south-west states of Nigeria.

The group in a statement encouraged Yoruba indigenes interested in the rally to get the shirts, caps, and flags for the march in a tweet on Tuesday.

 

According to the group in a statement released on monday that the rally, which had been scheduled for wednesday, had been postponed due to the need for saturday consultations with all yoruba socio-cultural and self-determination group

“ilana omo oodua postpones the one million march of the pro-yoruba nation,” read the statement. The much-anticipated one-million-strong march across yoruba-speaking states has been postponed indefinitel

“the umbrella body of yoruba self-determination groups within and outside nigeria, ilana omo oduduwa, has declare

“On wednesday, march 24th, a rally will be held in the cities of ikeja, ibadan, akure, ado-ekiti, osogbo, abeokuta, kabba, and offa in lagos, oyo, ondo, akure, ado-ekiti, osun, ogun, kogi, and kwara states to drum up support for the actualization of yoruba nation sovereignt

“We have a meeting with all yoruba socio-cultural and self-determination groups slated for saturday, march 27th. after the meeting, we shall announce a new date for the one million march, but it is possible next week. thus, we put all the seats of power in yoruba land on notic

“We have declared our freedom from the failed lugardian amalgamation of 1914. we have also declared our freedom from the fraudulent 1999 constitution of nigeri

The international community, including the united nations (un), european union (eu), african union (au), economic community of west african states (ecowas), and the governments of the united states and the united kingdom have been put on notice.

“The government of nigeria is being challenged legally. we are not going to engage in any illegal or violent act

The group said: "We shall achieve our liberation without shedding blood. we shall deploy our material and intellectual weapons to fight this battle."

Source: DailyTimes

CONSTITUTIONAL FORCE MAJEURE, UNION DISPUTE AND THE EXPIRATION OF THE 90-DAY NOTICE OF GRAVE CONSTITUTIONAL GRIEVANCES: NEXT-STEPS FOR TRAPPED ETHNIC NATIONS OF NIGERIA

(Being the Text of the World Press Conference by the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination, (NINAS), Delivered by Prof Banji Akintoye at the Expiration of the 90-Day Notice of Grave Constitutional Grievances Issued by NINAS to the Federal Government of Nigeria, December 16, 2020).PROTOCOLS.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,

 

1) As the Distressed Federation of Nigeria continues to wobble through what seems its Terminal Throes, it will be recalled that the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS), aggregating the Indigenous Nations and Peoples of Southern and Middle- Belt of Nigeria, who have found themselves at the receiving end of a most vicious Ethnic Cleansing Onslaught by Heavily- Armed Invading Fulani Militia, masquerading as “Herdsmen”, Formally Declared a UNION DISPUTE with the Federation of Nigeria as represented by the Federal Government of Nigeria via the CONSTITUTIONAL FORCE MAJEURE Proclamation of December 16, 2020 in which it made a Five- Point Demand upon the Federal Government of Nigeria, to Formally commence the Remediation of the Grave Constitutional Grievances enumerated in the said Proclamation, within a Period of 90 Days beginning from the midnight of December 16, 2020.

  2) The full text of the December 16 Proclamation was published unedited as an Advertorial in the January 20, 2021 Edition of the Guardian Newspaper at pages 38, 39, 40 and 41. Hard Copies of the Proclamation were also dispatched to the President of Nigeria, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation of Nigeria, the President of Nigeria’s Senate, the Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the Conference of Speakers of State Assemblies, the

 UN, EU and AU Missions in Nigeria, the Ambassadors of the United States, China, Russia, France, Germany, Belgium, and Japan to Nigeria; the High Commissioners of the United Kingdom and Australia to Nigeria, ECOWAS Secretariat and a other Stakeholder Institutions.

(3) We Report to you now that at the expiration of the 90-Day Period Notice by the midnight of March 16, 2021, no Formal Contact was made

 with NINAS by the Federal Government of Nigeria and so we are gathered here today March 17, 2021 to Inform our People as well as the International Community, what our Next-Steps will be in our resolve to extricate ourselves from the Death-Trap and Bondage Unitary Nigeria has become for our Various Peoples.

(4) In refusing to step forward to the table of Dialogue and in the Characteristic Arrogant Disposition of the Federal Government of Nigeria, we wish to call your attention to several knee-jerk, patch-work and bad- faith options the Federal Government of Nigeria chose to pursue in the desperation to once again evade the Sovereignty Question it had been evading since 1967, instead of embracing the Comprehensive Framework Tabled by the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-

Determination, NINAS via the December 16, 2020 Proclamation. In this regard, we note the Emergency Conference anchored by Channels Television and tagged “Pulling Nigeria Back from the Brink” featuring Nasir El-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State (who Chaired the APC Restructuring Committee); Kayode Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State who is Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum as well as Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator and Senate Minority Leader.

In their various Presentations at that Conference, they spoke of the Urgency of the Nigerian Situation; they alluded to many of the Grave Constitutional Grievances raised by the NINAS Proclamation but without any direct mention of NINAS or the December 16, 2020 Constitutional Force Majeure Proclamation. In what seemed like an unprecedented Bi- Partisan Consensus and Legislative -Executive Cooperation, they all agreed that immediate Remediation Steps need to be taken forthwith including the return of Niger Delta’s Oil & Gas Assets to its owners, the Decentralization of Policing to allow State and Local Government Police but most curiously, they proposed Urgent Amendments to the 1999Constitution and the Invocation of the Doctrine of Necessity by the National Assembly to commence the Remediation Processes. NINAS interprets this attempt to railroad the Resolution of the Grave Constitutional Grievances to the National Assembly as a clear-minded evasion of the Fundamental Sovereignty Question relating to the Deep Distortions in Our Union Agreement (Constitution) which must now be engaged by the Constituent Components of Nigeria whose Sovereignties are Currently Hijacked and Confiscated by the Nigerian State via the Fraudulent 1999 Constitution. This Interpretation stems from the fact that the National Assembly which itself, is a Product of that Constitution, had a few months ago, acknowledged that it has no Constitution-Making Powers as that Power vests Exclusively in the Constituent Component Nationalities of Nigeria as an Incident of their Sovereignty. It indeed amounts to Treason for the National Assembly or the Executive Branch of the Federal Government to continue to usurp the Sovereignty of the Peoples of Nigeria confiscated by the Fraudulent 1999 Constitution which is already repudiated and rejected by the Peoples of Nigeria especially in the Alliance Territories as represented by NINAS. NINAS also see external collaboration to this Treasonous Conduct of the National Assembly when Groups of individualscraft and Present to the National Assembly, Proposals inviting the National Assembly to embark on the exercise of Writing or Re-Writing the Constitution of Nigeria via Amendments, without the Constituent Component Nationalities first Addressing Sovereignty Dispute. Those external collaborators also talk about inserting a “National Referendum” Provision in the 1999 Constitution at a time the Indigenous Nationalities of Nigeria are Clamouring for Regional Referendums to Determine their Sovereignty. Some talk about Resuscitating the 1963 Constitution (i.e. Constitution-Writing) as the way to go. This also amounts to evading the Sovereignty Discussion. NINAS Unequivocally rejects these Propositions insofar as they would operate to commandeer and railroad our Hijacked Collective Sovereignty to the National Assembly.

There was also a recent suggestion by Nigeria’s Senate President, Lawan, that the assignment of Constitutional roles to Traditional Rulers in Nigeria will solve the broken down Security of Nigeria. These are all parts of begging the Question. We have to ask Mr Senate President why have State Governors who have Constitutional Roles, not resolved the Security Nightmares of Nigeria or even of their States.

In all, it is clear to NINAS that the both Federal Government of Nigeria and the National Assembly of Nigeria, are fully aware of the Grave

Constitutional Grievances of the Constituent Component Nationalities of Nigeria, but are unwilling to address the Grievances, thereby inviting upon us all, a dangerous regime of Self-Help, especially against the Hydra- headed Monster of Gross Insecurity running wild all over Nigeria wearing at various times, the Garment of Boko Haram, Fulani Herdsmen, Miyetti Allah or Bandits.

(5) For the benefit of those who may not have read the December 16, 2020Constitutional Force Majeure Proclamation and for the purpose of putting a contextual backdrop to the Post-Notice Action Outlines that we shall be spelling out today, permit me to Read in Full, the Five Demands of the December 16, 2020 Proclamation, along with the Paragraphs immediately preceding the Demands and the one immediately after it (ie the Closing Paragraph) so that we can better understand the reasoning behind the extraordinary measure of Constitutional Force Majeure as well as the Implications for the Distressed Nigerian Union and various Stakeholders including Government, Political Parties and International Interests, and I quote: “ACCORDINGLY, WE THE UNDERSIGNED, BEING Accredited Representatives of the Indigenous Nationalities of Nigeria’s Southern and Middle-Belt Territories, hereinafter called “the Alliance Territories”, (Constituting over 75% of the Population of Nigeria), on behalf of the Peoples of the Alliance Territories, and in Invocation of the Universal Rights appurtenant to our Sovereignties as Indigenous Peoples of the Distressed Nigerian Federation, including the Right To Self-Determination as enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2007 as well as the United Nations Charter On Human Rights; HAVING exhausted every Democratic, People-Driven Process in seeking an orderly redress for the aforementioned Grave Constitutional Grievances emanating from the Unilateral Imposition of a Unitary Constitutional Order on our supposed Federal Union by a Section of Nigeria that has also Imposed Sharia in their own Part of our supposed Secular Union; AND NOW in circumstances that have become an extraordinary emergency for our Peoples, being confronted by the Clear and Present danger of Extermination in the hands of our supposed Compatriots in the of Nigeria who are Pursuing an Ethnic Cleansing Campaign against the Indigenous Nationalities of Nigeria HEREBY DECLARE A SOVEREIGNTY DISPUTE with the Federation of Nigeria as represented by Federal Government of Nigeria, on account of our Repudiation and Rejection of the Imposed 1999Constitution of Nigeria whose authorship was Fraudulently imputed to us by the Preamble to that Constitution in its False Claim that “We the People”, Made, Enacted and Gave To Ourselves the said 1999 Constitution, with a further lie in that same Preamble, that we had Firmly and Solemnly Resolved to submit Our Peoples and Our Lands into the Union of Nigeria. FURTHERMORE, IN INVOCATION OF OUR LONG-SUPPRESSED COLLECTIVE SOVEREIGNTIES WE HEREBY PROCLAIM A CONSTITUTIONAL FORCE MAJEURE effective from the Midnight of the 16th Day of December 2020, with a 90-Day NOTICE to the Government of the Federation of Nigeria, the Security Council of the United Nations, the Government of the United States of America, the European Union as well as the International Community, of the Intention of the Peoples of the Alliance Territories to reconsider our Continued Allegiance to the Disputed 1999 Constitution as well as the Unitary Union of Death, Attrition and Backwardness it foists on us.

 FOR THE SAKE OF PEACE AND TO AVOID ANARCHY, IT IS OUR DEMAND THAT IN THE 90-DAY PERIOD OF THIS NOTICE, THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC ACTIONS MUST BE TAKEN BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA TO FIRMLY SET IN MOTION, AN IRREVERSIBLE PROCESS BY WHICH THE AFOREMENTIONED GRAVE CONSTITUTIONAL GRIEVANCES WOULD BE ADDRESSED:

(A) A Formal Announcement by the Federal Government of Nigeria acknowledging the Constitutional Grievances and Sovereignty Dispute now Declared by the Peoples of South and Middle-Belt of Nigeria.

(B) A Formal Commitment by Federal Government of Nigeria to the wholesale Decommissioning and Jettisoning of the 1999 Constitution as the Basis of the Federation of Nigeria as was done by the Government of Apartheid-Era South Africa in 1990, to commence the process by which the Apartheid Constitution of the then South Africa was eased out.

(C) A Formal Announcement by the Federal Government of Nigeria suspending further General Elections under the Disputed 1999 Constitution since winners of such Elections will Swear to, and Govern by that Constitution.

(D) A Formal Invitation to the Peoples of the South and Middle-Belt of

 Nigeria to work out and emplace a Transitional Authority, which shall specify the Modalities for the Transitioning Process including the Composition and Mandate of the Transitional Authority as well as the Time-frame for the Transitioning and other Ancillary Matters.

(E) A Formal Initiation of a Time-Bound Transitioning Process to midwife the emergence of Fresh Constitutional Protocols by a Two-Stage Process

 in which the Constituent Regional Blocs will at the first stage, Distill and Ratify their various Constitutions by Referendums and Plebiscites and in the second stage, Negotiate the Terms of Federating afresh as may be dictated by the outcomes of Referendum and Plebiscites.

BY THIS PROCLAMATION, Let it be known to ALL, including International Money Lenders, that Nigeria is now a Disputed Project and that while the Constituent Components commit to honouring existing International Debt Obligations, WE CAUTION that whatever Obligations that may arise from any Foreign Loans contracted by the Federal Government of Nigeria from the date of this Proclamation may come into controversy. Similarly, all Loans contracted by the Federal Government of Nigeria, containing any

Clause that may Cede the Sovereignty of Nigeria or any part thereof in the event of Repayment Default shall be disputed as illicit, and in breach of the Sovereignty of the Federating Units.

We also invite Politicians from the Alliance Territories and all Political Parties Operating in the Alliance Territories, to TAKE NOTICE, that the 1999 Constitution by which the winner of any National Elections in Nigeria will Swear, and Govern, is the very Object of the Sovereignty Dispute We Have just Proclaimed, with a Demand that Further National Elections premised upon that Repudiated Constitution, be Deferred Forthwith, for the purpose of first Reworking the Damaged Constitutional Basis of Nigeria. It is therefore our Expectation that you will stand with the People you Claim or Seek to Serve as Politicians or Political Parties in their current resolve to Wind up the Operation of the 1999 Constitution and Extinguish the source of their Misery. If instead of standing with your People, you choose to go to another round of General Elections in 2023 under that Constitution, it will simply mean that you are a part of the enemy-imposed Mechanism for Inflicting Death, Misery and Impoverishment upon your own People, for no other reason than Personal Gain.

The Signatories to this Proclamation commit themselves to providing a Detailed Proposition for Undertaking this Fundamental Reconfiguration of

 the Damaged Constitutional Basis of Nigeria. In this regard, the Signatories Adopt and Incorporate the MNN Alliance’s November 16, 2018OPEN MEMORANDUM TO PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI ON THE RESTRCTURING DEBATE, reported by Guardian of Nov 18, 2018, as an outline of our Prescriptions in this Proclamation.  ​​​

ISSUED THIS 16thDAY OF December 2020” end of quote.

(6) Before I proceed with the Next-Steps, permit me to make a few clarifications about the Nature and Substance of the Sovereignty Dispute we Declared and about the Exact Remediation Propositions we made:

(i) The Constitutional Force Majeure is a carefully Designed Decisive Action Process that will continue until it achieves its Twin Objectives of Peacefully Easing out the Imposed Fraudulent 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and the Orderly Emergence of Successor-Constitutional Protocols, in keeping with the Self-Determination Rights of the Constituent Component Ethnic Nations of the Distressed Federation of Nigeria. It is therefore not a one day Armageddon in which the roof of heaven will fall upon the earth as being Speculated by some commentators, whether out of ignorance or mischief.

(ii) The 90-Day Period of Notice was for the Federal Government to Fully Consider the Grievances Raised and to Bring Itself to the Table of Dialogue set up by the Aggrieved Constituent Components of Nigeria. In that Period, NINAS persuaded the Peoples of the Alliance Blocs to refrain from any acts that might aggravate the volatile situation of Nigeria even in the face of severe provocations such as when amidst much killings across the Nigeria, the Governor of Bauchi State Bala Muhammed, recklessly Declared that the Murderous Fulani Herdsmen rampaging everywhere in Nigeria, had the right to be in every part of Nigeria they choose and to carry AK-47 Automatic Riffles.

This means that after the 90- Day Period of Notice, the Peoples of Nigeria as aggregated in the Alliance, will Proceed with various Processes towards achieving the Objectives of the December 16, 2020 Proclamation, namely,the easing out of the Fraudulent 1999 Constitution and the Distillation of Successor-Constitutional0Protocols.

(iii) The Next Line of Action expressly indicated by NINAS in its Proclamation is that of Reconsideration of its Continued Allegiance to the 1999 Constitution. It is important to state here that the exact Processes by which this Reconsideration will be enacted shall be communicated to the Public in Measured Steps as the days progress and so NINAS hereby invites all Stakeholders to be on the Lookout for Directions, every care being taken to avoid Anarchy or any kind of Breakdown of Order.

(iv) Building upon the Formal Repudiation of the 1999 Constitution by the Constituent Components of Nigeria including by Solemn Assemblies over the last 20 Years, the Joint Proclamation of December 16, 2020 by NINAS was to Serve NOTICE of the Impending Formal Withdrawal of the

Contrived Consent (Forged Signature) of the Peoples of Nigeria by which the 1999 Constitution is being sustained and validated as Basis of the Nigerian Union and it’s Governance.

The Press Conference of today is to commence the retirement process of the 1999 Constitution in a manner that restores the Hijacked Sovereignties of the Constituent Components of Nigeria from which they may freely enterinto Fresh Protocols, all through a Transitioning Process that retains Existing Governance Structures throughout the Transitioning Period as South Africa did to ease itself out of the Apartheid Constitutional Order.

(7) NOW TO THE NEXT-STEPS:

(i) After Due Consultations with Stakeholders; Bearing in mind that the Five-Point Demand Contained in the December 16, 2020 Proclamation was addressed to Federal Government of Nigeria, and Considering the fact that in the event that matters progress to the Reconsideration of Allegiance to the 1999 Constitution, Political Office Holders from the Alliance Territories who will be directly impacted, may be caught in the Middle of a Dispute to which they have not been made parties, NINAS therefore deems it appropriate and necessary to first bring in such persons that may be so impacted, into the Dispute before further steps. ACCORDINGLY, NINAS Hereby Invites All Elected Political Office Holders from the Alliance Territory for Consultations with Stakeholders in their Respective Home Regions within a Period of 30 Days Commencing from the Midnight of March 17, 2021. Appropriate Communications Channels shall be used to Formally extend the Invitations to affected persons and such details as Modalities, Dates, Time, and Venue shall be Communicated along with the Invitations.

(ii) In the aforementioned 30-Day Period of Consultations, NINAS enjoins the Peoples of the Alliance Territories, particularly the younger Generation, home and abroad, whose Future have been badly compromised by the Nigerian State, to intensify the enlightenment about the December 16, 2020Constitutional Force Majeure Proclamation amongst the Populace, with a view to mobilizing the Local Populace towards the inevitable engagement with Political Parties and Political Merchants from their Localities, who for humongous personal gains, cling tenaciously to the 1999 Constitution, and even planning to partake in further National Elections in 2023 under that Constitution at a time when the People they claim to Lead and Represent are struggling to ease out the same 1999 Constitution from which all their miseries flow, (including Killings, Gross Insecurity and Mass Impoverishment) and which make them Slaves In their Homeland. The Political Parties must now be persuaded to Close Shop forthwith, albeit Temporarily, until the Constitution(s) by which the Winners of any future Elections (especially 2023) will Govern, since all Political Parties in Nigeria  operate under the 1999 Constitution and the winners of any Elections must Swear to, and Govern by the 1999 Constitution.

This 30-Day Period of Consultations offers the Federal Government of Nigeria a fresh window of opportunity, beyond the 90 Days Period of Notice that expired March 16, 2021, to bring itself to the table of Dialogue set up by the Constituent Components of Nigeria, by way of the December 16, 2020 NINAS Proclamation.

Being all agreed that no progress is possible for the Peoples of Nigeria under the 1999 Unitary Constitution, we cannot be Proclaiming Restructuring, Resource Control, Rule of Law Security, EndSARS, End Corruption, or even Good Governance and still be warming up to go to another round of General Elections in 2023 that will renew the life of the 1999 Constitution which Guarantees Unitarism, Resource Hijack, Impunity, Insecurity, SARS Killings, Corruption, and Bad Governance.

We must now get honest with ourselves and Turn off the Tap from which these evils flow without further delay. The 1999 Constitution is that Tap.

In Closing Let it be Clearly Understood that in the Face of the Demise of the 1999 Constitution and the rapid progression towards self-help across Nigeria by People who find themselves under the invasion by Murderous, Heavily armed Fulani Militia masquerading as Herdsmen while the Security Agents look the other way, it is only a matter of time for the bloody altercations that are currently building up to explode into the Violent Disintegration of Nigeria with Catastrophic Consequences.

Let it also be understood that the Propositions of the December 16, 2020Proclamation by the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self- Determination NINAS, offers Nigeria, Nigerians and the Concerned International Community, the Most Viable, Most Comprehensive and Most Peaceful Framework for Undertaking the Inevitable Fundamental Reconfiguration of the Damaged Constitutional Basis of Nigeria.

As we may all recall, the situation of Nigeria compelled the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Nigeria, Agnes Callamard in a September 2019 visitation, to describe the Constitutioal arrangements of Nigeria as “a Pressure Cooker for Injustice”, in circumstances that pose a Threat to Global

Security in the event that Nigeria snaps, since the most notorious Global Terror Networks including ISIS and Al-Quaeda are already converging in the large swathes of UNGOVERNED spaces Nigeria offers and with frightening prospects of an unprecedented Refugee Crisis for the World should Nigeria come undone. As we sit here today, we are already seeing the beginnings of the flood of Nigerian refugees into the rest of West Africa particularly the Yoruba who are now taking refuge in Benin Republic. 

Now that Sheik Ahmad Gumi has helped us piece together the last pieces of the jigsaw puzzle regarding who the Terrorists tormenting Nigeria are, where they are, what their Motives are, what the Nigerian Government and Security Agencies know, and the Ethnoreligious fissures within the Terror Battlefields, NINAS is confident that the illusions of many regarding the Monster we are up against, will be dispersed and more indigenous Nigerians will step forth to embrace the efforts that NINAS has initiated. 

Those who insist on Governing Nigeria with the Imposed, Fraudulent and Unworkable 1999 Constitution as well as those who still aspire to contest further National Elections under that Constitution should know they are the ones pushing Nigeria towards a Violent Disintegration but the Ethnic Nations Currently Trapped in the Failed Lugardian Experiment of 1914 will do everything Legitimate under appropriate International Instruments to extricate them from the Union of Death, Attrition and Backwardness that Nigeria has become for them. NINAS urge our Various Peoples across the Alliance Territories to remain calm and confident as measured steps are being taken towards ending our Bondage.

For the avoidance of doubt, the NINAS proclamation of constitutional dispute on December 16th 2020 terminated the life of the fraudulent 1999 constitution of Nigeria and therefore restored our sovereignty that was confiscated by that constitution. What we are doing today is to outline the processes and modality for the necessary and orderly transition to our full self-determination and sovereignty in the World therefore we hereby call on the peoples of our alliance territory to rise to the challenge of shaking off the shackles and manacles hitherto imposed on them by the defunct 1999 constitution.

The task before our peoples are as follows:

1.​To distill and perfect the documents of their sovereignty namely Map of their Territory and draft constitutions or charters of relationships for multi-ethnic blocks.

2.​To embark upon and intensify their effort towards UN-Mandated referendums and plebiscites.

3.​In the face of the demise of the 1999 constitution which had been impediment to the control and management of their territories and resources (Particularly the 68-item exclusive list), the Governors of the State in the Alliance Territory are hereby advised to, in the interim, work as there state assemblies to make necessary Legislative and regulatory arrangement for the effective control and security of their respective territories as a part of the transitioning process to the new order which has been commenced today.

4.​As a part of the overall management of transition process we call on our people to co-operate with our State Governors for the maintenance of Law, Order, Peace and good Governance.

Thank you for your attention.

PROFESSOR (SENATOR ) BANJI AKINTOYE, CHARIMAN, NINAS

March 17, 2021.

ON AWOLOWO, RESTRUCTURING, AND 2023 PRESIDENCY

 By: Prof. 'Femi Meyungbe Olufunmilade 

I look at politics and politicians in my part of Nigeria ( Southwest) today and I cannot but remember Chief Obafemi Awolowo's brand of politics longingly.

I am a believer in the approach of Chief Obafemi Awolowo to politics and governance because that approach, precisely,  was responsible for his tremendous success.

I believe in Awolowo not because he was a Yoruba like myself or because he was a fraternal friend of my grandfather, Chief Amos Meyungbe Onasemowo, the Bashorun of Ilugun Alaro Ijebu. Nor because my father, Sam Olufunmilade Meyungbe, was such a fanatical follower of his, he deemed it a righteous thing to drop an advisory letter against passing an unjust judgement at the doorstep of Justice Sodeinde Sowemimo in 1963 over the treasonable felony trial of Awolowo and 21 of his political lieutenants for plotting a phantom coup, whereupon the judge declared "my hands are tied".

I believe in Awolowo because I've read all his 13 books and had gone further to the Federal Archives at the University of Ibadan to photocopy his policy papers and strategic documents as Leader of the Action Group and Premier of the Western Region. On the African continent, he comes next only to Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, pioneer prime minister of Ghana, his good friend, in terms of intellectual legacies as a statesman-philosopher.

While 90 percent of Nkrumah's 15 or so books were devoted to Africa's liberation, with only one focused on Ghana (i.e. "Dark Days in Ghana"), 12 of Awolowo's 13 books  focused Nigeria. The exception being "The Problems of Africa: The   Need for Ideological Reappraisal", an original, provocative work of political theory that qualifies him for a doctorate by publication in Political Science. The book was deliberately focused on Africa, being the text of a lecture he gave as a mark of honour to the memory  of Kwame Nkrumah at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.

I believe in Awolowo not just because of his sterling intellectual legacies, but much more because he was an archetypal action man of letters. His ideological professions in "The Strategy and Tactics of People's Republic of Nigeria", "Voice of Reason", "Voice of Wisdom", "Voice of Courage", "Awo: An Autobiography ", "Path to Nigeria's Freedom", "Thoughts on the Nigerian Constitution" etc rubbed off on his priorities and performance in government. 

Awolowo's professed ideology resonated with the masses in Western Region where it pleased God to afford him opportunity to put  his philosophy to practice. Even the illiterate masses understood his political ideology as "ijoba aparo kan o ga ju kan lo", meaning egalitarian government (or socialism), which was being implemented in phases, starting with free education, introduction of minimum wage, free healthcare, higher returns for cocoa farmers, integrated rural development etc.

In essence, Awolowo had core values that informed his politics and government. This made him predictable and stable such that Sir Ahmadu Bello once remarked that, "With Awolowo,  you know where he stands on any issue". He was a convinced federalist, an anti-colonialist, an anti-imperialist agitator; and a professor of democratic (or gradualist) socialism.

It was his anti-imperialist orientation that made him mobilise locally and overseas,  using Nigerian students in the United Kingdom, to protest against a proposed Anglo-Nigerian Defence pact that could have brought the Tafawa Balewa government under the protection of British troops to be deployed to Nigeria in 1961. That probably had to do with his trial for a concocted coup d'etat. Nigeria would have had to endure a neo-colonial civilian dictatorship protected by the British military till heavens know when. 

I went into this recollection about the inimitable,  immortal Awo as a basis of assessment of the present political leadership of the Southwest of Nigeria. Can anyone tell me what core values any of them represent and is actively pursuing in politics and government presently?

Granted, some of them identify with Awolowo by wearing his cap and his eyeglasses. But the identification ends there. Ideologically they are poles apart. Awolowo fought hard to actualise his political ideals and was able to mobilise the masses behind him as co-believers, which explained why they stood with him through his travails and triumphs.

I don't want to mention names, but I'm constrained to ask myself what some leading politicians in the Southwest spotting Awolowo's cap and donning his round lens eyeglasses stand for ideologically?

Then I ask, Were Awolowo to be alive now, what would be his stance on critical national issues? Let me limit the issues to restructuring, which is the core element of the manifesto of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Let me be charitable enough to judge the current leaders by the only ideal they professed when the APC was formed.

Were Awolowo to be one of the founding APC leaders from the Southwest, what would be his reaction to the non-implementation of the APC restructuring agenda by the Buhari administration?

The Awolowo I know and I saw for the last time in January 1987 at the convocation ground of Ogun State University, and I had accompanied, amidst a surging crowd, to his sky-blue Benz, flanked by Mama HID Awolowo, as he departed for his Ikenne country home, unaccompanied by a single armed security man because Jehovah Elohim and the unbounded love of the masses were his security, would have called for a strategic meeting of the Southwest caucus of the APC long ago. That was a leader guided by ideals. Not primitive accumulation and a blindfolding quest for power. 

He would have invited the governors, senators, house of representatives' members, party excos, opinion leaders etc for a meeting with a single agenda: how to push forward the restructuring agenda of the APC as men of honour who had a pact with Buhari and other stakeholders. You can take it for granted he would pursue the resolutions of the meeting courageously without minding whose ox is gored.

In the first place, Awolowo wouldn't have supported Buhari to be president without first committing him to a Roadmap on Restructuring he would start implementing as soon as he won the 2015 presidential election. And he would have withheld his support for his reelection in 2019 if he had reneged on the 2015 Restructuring Roadmap.

But here we are, the Southwest APC leaders are still sailing in the same boat with President Buhari after he had reneged on restructuring and continues perpetrating infractions that are detrimental to the unity and progress of Nigeria in the form of lopsided appointments that breed sectional resentments and offend our federal character laws. They continue the sail in heavily troubled waters with President Buhari as horrendous killings, rape, robbery, kidnapping for ransom, and destruction of farms and houses of Yoruba rural communities by illegally armed Fulani terrorists masquerading as herdsmen continue unabated.

The Southwest leaders' silence is so loud. They stay mute. They stay inactive, leaving the people to fend for themselves  It's like we have no government. And I'm forced to write this because what I read in today's papers (21st February,  2021) attributed to the governors of Ogun and Oyo (albeit, a PDP governor) states on the armed Fulani killings in their respective domains is irresponsible and a betrayal of trust. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun said Fulani herdsmen are not killers; while Seyi Makinde of Oyo said the killers of Dr. Fatai Aborode in Igangan were Yoruba; not Fulani. We await their unassailable evidence. 

It is now crystal clear that things could have been worse but for Sunday Igboho who sent the signal across that where our compromised leaders fail to protect Yoruba people, the people themselves would defend themselves.  Even the Minister of Defence,  Major Gen. Bashir Magashi (Rtd.), made a strong advocacy for self-defence earlier this week in Niger state.

In exasperation, I have talked to some people to enlighten me on why our leaders in the Southwest are so irresponsible and charlatanistic in a matter of life and death of the people they purport to lead and at a time a leader like Awolowo would have risen to the occasion to stand in the gap for the people he loved and who also loved him in return?

I was told the dumbness of our leaders stem from two things. One, some of them  have stolen, and are still busy stealing, our commonwealth to the point that they sleep and wake up dreadful of the EFCC knocking on their doors. For them, there is wisdom in the saying that they that live in glass houses don't throw stones.

Two, and this is the preponderant refrain in my chats, obsession with the hope of becoming president in 2023 has so consumed some of our leaders that they wouldn't mind selling us into slavery to fulfill  their ambition. They are not like Awolowo who would say death is preferable to prostrating before your tormentor. 

I am told that our leaders in the Southwest are playing the Machiavellian game. They're stooping in order to conquer. They are of the view that the high principles of Awolowo was what robbed him of Nigeria's presidency. They are scheming, taking all the humiliation, insults, and killings of their people, patiently, in order to ascend presidential power.

It is thus clear that these so-called leaders, like Sunday Igboho said in one of his videos, are only serving the interest of themselves and their families.  The rest of us in Yorubaland - in our millions  - are mere canon fodders. We are only relevant in their scheme of things to the extent that our votes would be needed in 2023 to fulfill their ambition.

Their Machiavellian tactics reminds me of a song by a young Yoruba musician in which he threw a wisecrack thus: "Eni ti o se oogun aiku, to ba ku,  bawo lo se maa gba refund"? The poser is about a man who paid for a charm that would make him immortal: should he die, how would he be refunded?

Let the Machiavellian Yoruba presidential hopefuls, sacrificing their own on the altar of presidential power, ponder this poser: what would you do if you don't become president in 2023? What shall it then profit you that your people's lives and livelihoods are ruined while you kept a deaf and dumb posture? How would you recover from the humiliation you're going through now in the hands of those you helped to power?

Already, some northern governors rumoured to be interested in succeeding Buhari are, rather belatedly, canvassing for components of the omnibus concept we call restructuring: state, police, resource control, independent judiciary etc. That should tell you the Machiavellian tacticians, the presidency will not come to you on a platter of gold. You will have to struggle for it. Who will then support you in Yorubaland? Maybe those feeding from your hands within your party. You will then learn the hard way that charity begins at home.

As for the young Turks from the north of Nigeria,  if you're serious about your latter-day advocacy for restructuring, first  influence President Buhari to restructure Nigeria before leaving office. Tell him to be a gentleman and Mai Gaskiya by keeping faith with his pact with Nigerians. But if you think we are so gullible that promising restructuring would ginger us to support you to become president in 2023, like our dumb leaders in the Southwest, you're mistaken. 

Without restructuring now, in 2023, the last thing Yoruba people would be doing would be electing a president of Nigeria. To what end?

*** *Olufunmilade* is Director, Center for Contemporary Security Affairs, Igbinedion University Okada, Nigeria. 

Email: *[email protected]*”