Lagos Street Naming: OPC, leading Yoruba groups speak with one voice

Says Local Govts’ decisions in public interest

By Omolade Adegbuyi

Several Pan Yoruba groups have come out in support of the renaming of certain streets in Lagos State.

In a joint statement made available to Irohinoodua, the groups made of Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC-reformed), Oodua Nationalist Coalition, (ONAC), Agbekoya, O’odua Peoples Congress, (OPC-New Era), O’odua Hunters Union, (OHUN), South West Professional Forum, (SOWPROF) and many others commended the Lagos Councils calling on them to do more.

“We community based groups, self- determination organisations, professional groups spread across the South West States including Kwara, Kogi, parts of Delta and Edo State speak on behalf of descendants of Oduduwa in these ancient territories,” the groups states

They noted that after extensive consultations with their members and millions of Yoru a people, “we hereby support the initiatives of Bariga and Ajeromi Local Governments’ renaming or naming of some streets and bus stops to reflect indigenous traditions and values of our people.”

The Full Statement is Below:

POSITION OF PAN YORUBA GROUPS ON RENAMING OF STREETS IN LAGOS

That the decisions represent the aspirations of those who elected them into office, whereas their primary obligation is to such people;

That our rights as indigenous peoples are timeless, derived from our history, our cosmogony and our spirituality;

That our land is our mother, our past, present and future which values and heritage we must defend and uphold;

That just as we recognise the rights of others to own their land, ours should not be trampled;

As indigenous people, we express our full support for the renaming of certain streets in Lagos to reflect the identity, morality and inspiration that the younger generation of our people deserve;

That the decision of Bariga Local Government Council to name a street after Badoo, hitherto hijacked and self named by a certain Charly Boy reflects the true wish ot the people in that community;

That a certain Charly Boy who goes naked on the internet and is known for assault and abuse of Yoruba values, including but not limited to various attacks on the Ooni of Ife, the sacred institution we hold dear, does not in any way befit a name in Yoruba territories;

That we commend the renaming of other streets in Lagos, some of which were attained through fraudulent means under the military, even by some drug barons and that such renaming reflects the true character of ethics and good conscience expected to serve as inspiration for millions of residents of Lagos;

That Lagos and Yorubaland have done what others fail to do. Igbo were given land, employed in large numbers in the civil service, since 1991 when Lagos was no longer the Federal Capital, given the posts of Commissioners and even Permanent Secretaries, yet they are not contended. All they want is to take over Lagos, produce the Governor and then push us out of our ancestry. This plot will not work;

The wealth of Lagos was built and develop by the sweat of Yoruba people from the 14th century. Igbo did not create the sea, the vast shores, the vast ocean, the Maritime, the mangrove, the vast Island all of which represent the true and immutable wealth of Lagos;

We wonder why a group of people continue to lay ownership to a other people’s land if not for avarice, greed and insatiable appetite to steal;

It is not unusual to see the entire world, from Asia to Europe and the Pacific, resisting this inherent criminal instinct;
It is curious that a tiny, misguided Yoruba renagades who criticise the renaming are notorious for being silent each time the sacred values and honour of Yoruba people were trampled upon;

While they condemn the changes, their conspiracy of silence on the status of Lagos, being referred to as “NO Man’s Land” is a crime against Yoruba people;

That these reactionaries were silent during the cold murder of four prominent Yoruba traditional rulers in Ekiti, Ondo and Kogi States; their voices were mute during the vicious attacks on Yoruba farmers which has led to the death, maiming or kidnap of no fewer than 5, 600 farmers, including women and children on Yoruba farms in the past 12 years;

That they were nowhere to be found during the bombing of Owo, in Ondo state and they made no donations to the victims but were quick to condemn any attempt by Yoruba people to assert themselves when criminals attack them;

That no fewer than 90 Yoruba people have either been killed or kidnapped in violence related incidences in Eastern Nigeria including some immigration officers. It is shocking that these elements who lay claim to human rights activism are silent but are quick to raise their voices any time Yoruba people stand up to reclaim their floundering heritage;

It is obvious that these immoral, opportunistic and self serving Yoruba renegades are motivated by the need to protect their dubious clients and also protect their property and investments outside Yorubaland;

Never will Yoruba people allow narrow-minded opportunistic people, who have lost credibility, to destroy Yoruba civilisation on the platter of ego, profit and primitive accumulation of wealth;

They should be ashamed that no single Igbo activist has ever supported Yoruba in their utterances, not even to condemn the kidnap and deaths of Yoruba people in the hands of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, (IPOB);

They are silent watching the inclusion of parts of Ondo, Kogi and Delta States in the proposed Biafra Map. There silence is shameful, ridiculous and self destructive;

They are silent when IPOB promised to invade Lagos, asked its members to kill Yoruba leaders, invade police stations and barracks in Yoruba territories. No single Igbo human rights leader spoke against Nnamdi Kanu on this, but these footless, barefaced traitors are anxious to condemn the renaming of streets to Yoruba indigenous names;

That the real promoters of genocide in Yorubaland are these irresponsible elements who take side with those who wish to take our land through violence, who stand against their own people but promote and embolden terrorists and armed groups to desecrate and attack Yorubaland with their call that Yoruba people should be silent until our humanity is erazed;

We warn that the continuous degradation of Yoruba culture and values will not go unchallenged, employing the philosophy of proportional response, now and in the future;

If the anti-Yoruba elements refuse to yield, our members will mobilise to their offices to ridicule and embarrass them.

Signed
Covenant Group
Samuel Akindele

Agbekoya Solidarity
Chief Kunle Oshodi

Odua Peoples Congress, (OPC New Era)

Rasaq Arogundade

Coalition of Oodua Self Determination Groups, (COSEG)

Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movement, (AYDM)
Popoola.Ajayi

Oodua Peoples Congress, (Fasehun Group)

Network for Yoruba Alliance, (NENA)

Goke Otunla

Oodua Nationalist Coalition, (ONAC)
Mrs Medinat Olorunosebi

Oodua International Democratic Movement, (OIDEM)

Apapo Oodua Koya, (AOKOYA)

Ahmed Akorede

Yoruba Artisan and Traders and Association, (YATA)
Sanusi Davies

Nigerian Automobile Association, (NAA-South West)

Ayo Fadele

South West Professionals Forum,(SOWPROF)

Dr Ade Maja

South West Women Congress, (SWEC)

Ilaje Peoples Congress, (IPC)

Bunmi Oludare

Oodua Students Coalition, (OSC)

Comrade Tunde Aloba

Lagos Indigenous Peoples Congress, (LIPEC)

Olumide Adele

Oodua Hunters Union, (OHUN)
Chief Abayomi Adaba

Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC-Reformed)

Oodua Youth Movement, (OYM)