Biafra/Yoruba Nation: 'We Can Overcome Nigeria Challenges Through Dialogue, Not Secession' - Don

A university lecturer, Prof. Abdulrahman Oloyede, says what Nigeria need to address the current challenges is dialogue and not agitations for secession.

Amidst Biafra/Yoruba Nation agitations, Oloyede of the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Ibadan (UI), made the assertions on Sunday at a seminar organised by the Federation of Ahlus-Sunnah Organisations in Nigeria (FASON), in Ibadan.

The seminar was entitled: “Lies and Facts of One Nigeria”.

Oloyede, also the Chief Imam of UI, said that individuals and groups clamouring for Yoruba nation could get whatever they want without dividing the country.

“Whatever we want in Nigeria, we can get it without secession.

“We should not see ourselves as Kanuri, Hausa or Yoruba, we should see ourselves as one.

“Yoruba people, especially the Muslims should speak in one voice. We must speak in one voice. God has created us in different tribes for us to know each other.

“We can get whatever we want in Nigeria, if we remain together.

“It is not until we clamour for secession. What we needed to do is to sit down together to dialogue and find solutions to the problems, and that is allowed in Islam,” he said.

The lectuer advised political office holders to be accountable to their people in order to address the challenges facing the country.

“And again, there should be justice, the leaders should be accountable to the people. The same thing applicable to the followers.

“Let the leaders be accountable and followers to be accountable in the distribution of the resources God Has given to us in the country,” Oloyede said.

The Acting Amir of FASON, Sheikh Tajudeen Abdulkareem Al-Adabi, said the seminar was to educate the public that secession was not the solution to the problem of Nigeria.

Al-Adabi said: “We are saying that secession is not the answer that can help us. We have seen some countries that have seceded, the problems are still there after the breakup.

“Let Yoruba understand Hausa, let Hausa understand other tribes, what we have in the country is enough for us to be enjoying”.

Dignitaries present at the event were the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun, Prof. Abdulganiy Raji; the Akire of Ikire-Ile, Oba Abdulaziz Adebamiji and Onishara of Inisa Edero, Oba Ajibade Tiamiyu Gbadegesin and Sheik Isa Akindele.