A socio-cultural group, Igbimo Odo Yoruba, has reacted to recent statement issued by a northern group threatening the life of Femi Fani-Kayode, a prominent opposition leader and former aviation minister in Nigeria.
Ologun Ayodeji, the national publicity secretary of the group, in an e-mailed statement to The Trent on Monday, May 22, 2017, condemned the attack on Fani-Kayode by the Arewa Youth Forum and said that the group needs to “liberate themselves from the mental slavery” that has made the northern youth “victims”.
“The Igbimo Odo Yoruba, have watched with utmost dismay, the growing threat and assault to free speech, by some elements, from a section of the northern region of Nigeria,” the statement said.
“Most recent of these threats, is a statement, credited to a paid gang, which prides itself as the Arewa Youth Forum, which in a statement signed by one Gambo Gunjuju, warned a former minister of aviation, Chief Femi Fani Kayode, against what he described as Chief Fani Kayode’s “verbal attack” on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Northern Elders.
“The self self styled Arewa group in the said statement, also posited, that Chief Femi Fani Kayode should be ready to face the consequences of his verbal attacks if he continues. Hence, necessitating our reaction.
“While we sympathise with these elements, who rather than tap from the eye opening patriotic criticisms of Chief Fani Kayode, to liberate themselves from the mental slavery that today’s generation of Northern youth have become victims of, they have chosen the path of perdition, by declaring their willingness, to become a willing tool in the hands of the a northern oligarchy, which has held their region and the entire nation on hostage, particularly since the imposition of the ineffective leadership of President Buhari on Nigeria, since 2015.
“While we are not moved an inch, by these empty threat by the cowardly group, we wish to remind them, that Chief Femi Fani Kayode is a true born Yoruba son, a patriot and committed citizen of Nigeria.
“May we also inform these gang and their sponsors, that the Yoruba Race, particularly the youth, are more than prepared to resist, any form of assault or attack by whatever means, on Chief Fani Kayode or any of our leaders.
“For the sake of the Nigerian people, particularly those, who have increasingly appreciated the patriotic criticism of the incumbent ineffectual regime, by Chief Femi Fani Kayode, who today remains the most visible patriotic opposition voice in the country, we want to assure them that no amount of gang-up to harass and intimidate Chief Femi Fani Kayode or any of our leaders, will be tolerated at any given time.
“We are resolved, to use every legitimate means within our reach to resist and respond decisively to any form of aggression on our land and its people.
“Let it be noted by all, that the Yoruba nation are no strangers to antics of the North and its agents like the paid gang of Arewa Youth Forum, in their perpetual attempt at making others feel inferior in a nation that we all own and much more in our own land, going by their latest threats and actions.
“In lieu of the above, we are calling on all patriotic Nigerians, to resist this cowardly attempt to internally colonise Nigerians again, by these self serving elements from a section of the northern Nigeria, who are devilishly determined to sustain a nearly totally collapsed Presidency of Muhammadu Buhari on Nigerians.
“We also urge Chief Femi Fani Kayode and other patriots, who are currently giving their best, to salvage this Nation, from the unprecedented failure of leadership, not to be distracted by the antics of these agent provocateurs,” the group said.
