The Yoruba self-determination movement, a collaborative body of Yorùbá Self-determination groups, has expressed their position against any planned military intervention in the situation in Niger following a coup that ousted President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26.
The leader and chairman of Yoruba self-determination movement, Professor Banji Akintoye, disclosed this in a recent communique of the group dated Saturday, August 12, 2023 on the developments in Niger.
He called on the Nigerian President and Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Authority of Heads of State and Government, Bola Tinubu, to discard military intervention option in tackling the situation.
Below are the details of the communiqué:
C/882/SEGBEYA NORD AKPAKPA
P.O. BOX 326, COTONOU, BENIN REPUBLIC
The Supreme Council of the Yoruba Self-determination Movement, meeting this day, Saturday, August 12, 2023, solemnly adopts and authorizes the following statement for and on behalf of the Yoruba Nation.
We Yoruba people of the Southwestern states of Nigeria including the Yoruba populations of the Nigerian states of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Oshun, Ondo and Ekiti, plus the Yoruba populations of Kwara and Kogi States and the Itsekiri Yoruba people of the Delta State, hereby make the following statement to Nigeria, to West Africa, to Africa and to the world, concerning the ongoing situation in the Republic of Niger.
We Yoruba Nation totally reject any intention or plan by Nigeria, by any West African state, or by any combination of West African states, to levy war against the Republic of Niger.
We acknowledge, from all that has been manifesting on the news media since the military coup in Niger Republic, that the overwhelming majority of the people of Niger Republic are massively and fervently supportive of the change of government in their country, and we strongly urge that their wish be respected.
We inform the world that we Yoruba and the Hausa nation whose Niger people constitute the majority of the population of Niger, are sister nations, that for countless centuries before the coming of European colonialism, we Yoruba and Hausa were very closely related, that we were two large trading nation’s trading side by side in the vast territories of the West African interior, that many Hausa lived happily in Yoruba towns while many Yoruba lived happily in Hausa towns.
We want the world to know now that we Yoruba do not want any harm to come to our Hausa brethren.
Indeed, Yoruba youths are saying in all parts of Yorubaland that if the Niger Republic be invaded by anybody, countless Yoruba youths would hurry to the Niger Republic to join hands with the people of Niger to defend their country and to throw out the invaders.
Therefore, we Yoruba nation strongly urge the president of Nigeria, our son President Bola Tinubu, to cancel totally any intention or plan for any invasion of the Niger Republic.
We urge him to see to it that the military option is completely taken off the table in the ongoing situation.
We also strongly urge him to reverse any sanctions that have been embarked upon by Nigeria against the Niger Republic.