The pan-Yoruba socio-political and cultural group, Afenifere, has slammed the former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, over his recent comment on the menace of Fulani herdsmen in the South-west.
Kwankwaso, who was in Ibadan, Oyo State last weekend, had picked holes in the threat by Yoruba leaders to sack all Fulani herdsmen from the zone due to the criminalities of some of them.
In a reaction to Afenifere’s threat, which was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a summit in Ibadan, following the kidnap saga of the former Secretary to the Federal Government, Chief Olu Falae, the former governor stated such should not be contemplated as ‘Nigeria is home to all.’
However, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, entitled, ‘of Criminal Fulani herdsmen and uncultured Kwakwaso’, Afenifere described Kwankwaso’s statement as ‘uncouth, rude and insensitive'.
“In all his ramblings in Ibadan, Kwakwanso did not condemn the abduction of Chief Falae, the killing of innocent farmers, raping of women and destruction of crops and farmlands in the course of the grazing activities of Fulani herdsmen. He only tacitly justified their activities by offering excuses for their criminal conducts,” the statement read in parts.
Afenifere stated it was irritating for Kwankwaso to be justifying the criminal activities of the Fulani herdsmen on the ground of not having opportunity to go school as if it was the Yoruba that actually denied them the opportunity.
Afenifere stated its threat as contained in the communiqué to reconsider its place in the union of country was not out of place as worst threat had been issued by some people in the North in the past.
“The declaration is not anywhere near the statement of Gen. Yakubu Gowon on August 3, 1966: “there is no basis for Nigerian unity, which has been so badly rocked, not only once, but several times” or the theme of the North’s revenge coup of July 29,1967 titled; Araba, an Hausa word meaning, “let us divide it.
“With the uncouth, rude and insensitive remarks of Kwankwaso and his ilk in the North, which are like pouring salt on injury, it is coming clear to us that there may be a grand agenda with the activities of the Fulani herdsmen either as an advance party of Boko Haram into our territory or an expansionist project.
"The Yoruba leaders therefore, stand by every word in the Ibadan declaration,” the statement added.
