The Acting leader of the Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, yesterday said the group was not against the continued stay of the Fulanis in Yorubaland as widely speculated in the several quarters by mischief-makers.
According to him, the group is only asking the criminals elements among the Fulani to vacate the land in the interest of peace.
‘We are certainly not asking the Fulanis among us to leave. Those we are asking to leave are those among them who engage in various acts of banditry like kidnapping, raping of our women, killing, preventing our farmers from cultivating their farms by grazing on their farms, and so on,’ he said.
He spoke at Origbo Anglican Grammar School, Moro, Osun State during the funeral of the late spokesman of the group, Mr. Yinka Odumakin.
Pa Adebanjo also used the opportunity to his call on President Muhammadu to restructure Nigeria, saying only restructuring can save the country from its present state of near collapse.
The Afenifere leader who has consistently advocated for restructuring said Nigeria has reached a point where restructuring is inevitable if the country must survive.
According to him, only restructuring can save the country from seceding as being advocated in the region.
According to him, restructuring would deepen the corporate existence of Nigeria as a nation and not fragment it.
‘When Governor Akeredolu said that Ondo State is not for secession, I am in complete agreement with him because we are also not for secession.
‘What we are advocating, what we stand for presently, is for a total restructuring of the country. Restructuring is to consolidate Nigeria and not to break it,” he submitted.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
