Yoruba group condemns restructuring, wants ‘Oduduwa Republic’

A self-determination group, the Yoruba Liberation Command (YOLICOM), yesterday, said it rejects the idea of restructuring being proposed by some political elite.

The group, which described itself as, “the core of the authentic representatives and defenders of the values, rights and demands of the Yoruba indigenous people,” however, demanded for Oduduwa Republic.

Spokesperson of the group, Mr. George Akinola, who addressed a world press conference in Lagos, said the new republic would address what he called, “the long suffering of the Yoruba in Nigeria.”

He said the group arrived at the declaration for Oduduwa Republic following three months of consultations with “all Yoruba selfdetermination groups and poor people in towns and villages.”

Akinola decried what he called “panic measures of the government which has been to attack proponents of self-determination and even exterminate them.”

He said the destruction of regional system of government had, “turned Nigeria into a unitary state, dotted with a savage vulture of corruption, ineptitude, others.”

He further said the group was in support of the aspirations of some Igbo nationals to vacate Nigeria, adding: “It is within their inalienable rights to so demand. We shall do all within our powers to assist and encourage the Igbo to achieve this.”

The group also declared that, “any referendum at this time would only swing on the side of the corrupt and irresponsible political class, who continue to use ill-gotten public wealth to bribe, influence and manipulate elections and all institutions of politics and economy.” inefficiency, among