Steer clear of South West, Yoruba groups warn pro-Iran Shiite Muslims

By Omolade Adegbuyi

LAGOS March 03, 2026 Shitte Muslims protesting the United States Israeli attacks on Iran have been asked to stay away from the South West or risk confrontation with Pan Yoruba Self determination groups.

In a statement on Tuesday, Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements, (AYDM) a coalition of 130 Pan Yoruba and community based groups accused the Shiite protesters of feasting on international conflict to spur violence in Yoruba territories warning that any other protests from them would be met with mass resistance. It asked security agencies to work with local communities to protect local and international democratic institutions in the South West against terrorists that may wish to exploit the current war in the Middle East to stir violence in Yorubaland.

Some Shiite Muslims had protested in Lagos against the war in the Middle East pitching their tents with Iran.But AYDM condemned the protesters urging them to go back to their ancestral land to hold such protests saying that the protesters were non-Yoruba.

The AYDM urged those who support Iran to go to the Persian country to fight on the side of the country instead of protesting in Lagos. The group said the handful of protesters were not of Yoruba origin but ‘foreign elements who live in the South West with the mission to destabilise the region.’ AYDM said the protesters in some parts of the country are using the Iran-Israel/United States war to settle primordial political scores at the home front urging the police to probe their sponsors.

‘We recognise he rights of people to protest bust such protests should reflect the culture and heritage of the territories where such protests take place. We warn those protesting in favour of Iran to steer clear of Yorubaland. Yoruba Muslims, Christians and traditional worshipers have nothing to do with the protest. It is the work of aliens who live in Yorubaland. Their aim is to provoke violence and give the false impression to the world that Shiite Muslims have structures in the South West possibly to extort money from their sponsors,’ the AYDM statement signed by Mr Popoola Ajayi, Mustapha Adaba and Rasaq Arogundade noted.

AYDM said the age-long political history of Yoruba people is non-alignment. ‘We support world peace. We support the sovereignty of nations. We support self determination of nations and ethnic groups. We also condemn violence, extremism and terrorism in all forms,’ the AYDM said. The group reminds the protesters that Saudi Arabia which is the headquarters of Islam is on the same page with the US and Israel as far as Iran was concerned.

The group recall that the dominant political philosophy in Yorubaland from Lagos through Kwara, Kogi and some parts of Edo and Delta states is ‘Awoism which promotes democratic socialism, non-alignment and sustained balanced relationship with the West and the East driven by objective interests of Yoruba people.’ The group said when Awolowo was alive he had an excellent working relationship with the West and East including but not limited to Israel, Russia, Egpyt, United States and Saudi Arabia adding that the region would wish to sustain the political culture in the emerging phases of the dynamics of power and politics in international relations. It said the Yoruba people would only work with countries that support the quest of the Yoruba people for self determination.