ODUDUWA REPUBLIC: THE RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION

BY AMINAT OMOBOLANLE AKINDELE

The recent efforts by the Hausa-Fulani people to perpetuate the Hausa-Fulani ruling dynasty system in SASA community in Oyo State is an affront and the continuation of the Othman dan Fodio Jihad of 1804/1805 in disguise.

 Since the conquest of Ilorin and its eventual fall under the, these Jihadists have not relented in exporting their religion and culture to Western Nigeria even when it is an established fact that this method of forceful proselytization and assimilation cannot be tolerated in the Muslim dominated northern Nigeria.

 The Yorubas should use Ilorin as an example and guard their territory of the political and religious tsunami that is about to bedevil them. Since 1824, the city of Ilorin has been under the leadership of the Fulani emirate council. The avowed defiant to the well-established traditional leadership structure in Yorubaland by the Hausa-Fulani residents  in SASA community in Oyo State of Nigeria should be an eye opener to the Yoruba people.  There is indeed an urgent need for Chief Sunday Igboho and Dupe Onitiri-Abiola to intensify their efforts towards the actualization of the independence of Yoruba nation. The independence of Yoruba nation will ultimately lead to the reclamation of Ilorin and the restoration of the Afonja dynasty. The time to act is now! Self-determination is one of the leading factors to success.

 Determination leads to the actualization of dreams and goals.  Self-determination remains an inalienable right of nations seeking independence from oppressive regimes. The contraption called Nigeria has never worked and stands at no chance to work.  The concept of Self Determination has been developed after the end of the Second World War and the idea of self-determination was supported by International law and formulated in the Charter of the United Nations Article 1 (2) of the United Nations Charter.

Furthermore the principle of self-determination was recognized in General Assembly Resolution adopted in 1960 (Resolution 1514), and 1970 (Resolution 2625). Both resolutions in principle addressed the issue of self-determination.  Eventually further the principle of self-determination was presented in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), both Covenant emphasized self-determination as a right of people and guaranteed it by the treaty law.  It is pertinent to note that Wilson’s Fourteen Points were based on a major idea—the principle of self-determination, under which nationalities would have their own states. The members of a nationality or ethnic group share a cultural heritage, often associated with the place of its members’ birth or descent. Therefore Yoruba nation like other oppressed nations of the world reserve the Right to Self-Determination.

Prior to colonialism, Oyo Empire, which was the largest Yoruba-speaking state in West Africa, existed.   The defunct Oyo Empire had a powerful military and political force from the late 16th century to the early 18th century.  The empire also dominated most of the other kingdoms in Yorubaland, as well as nearby African states like Dahomey.  It is not overstatement to say that the Yoruba people had enjoyed self-rule before being coerced to join the contraption called Nigeria.  Nigeria was built on a very faulty foundation.  Those who coerced our people into being together did so without conducting a plebiscite or referendum to that effect.The call for the independence of Yorubaland by Chief Sunday Igboho should be supported at all costs and by every rationale being; for, it is the right way to go.  It is quite unfortunate that those benefitting from the status quo will not in any way support the call for independence for it will undoubtedly affect their dubious and wayward lifestyles.

The double-standard in handling the affairs of the country justifies the agitation for separation.  A country that operates two sets of laws cannot stand.  The Criminal Code for the Southern part of Nigeria and the Penal Code for the northern part cannot stand; the atrocious activities of Fulani herdsmen; and the recent attempt to introduce Sharia law in Yorubaland is highly unacceptable and cannot stand.It is worthy of note that who India and Pakistan were merged together and ruled by the British went their separate ways at Independence in 1947, to avoid perennial conflict.  In the 1973, Bangladesh opted out of Pakistan.  The Muslim dominated Pakistan found out from the onset they couldn’t cope with the ideology of the Hindu dominated India led by Ghandi.  Why must Nigeria continue to be one when there are obvious ideological irreconcilable differences?  If Sene-Gambia can be separated, why can’t Nigeria?  If Czech and Slovakia can go their separate ways, why can’t all the ethnic nationalities in Nigeria do the same?  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) warns that people will rebel against oppression if they aren’t protected by the rule of law. It’s important to promote respect for the right to self-determination.  Nigerian leaders should learn from the events of Yugoslavia.

* Aminat Omobolanle Akindele is an Odua political activist and a freedom fighter.