CITIZENS COMPASS–Modupe Onitiri Abiola, one of the widows of the late acclaimed winner of June 12 presidential election, Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, popularly known as MKO, has made a declaration for the secession of Yoruba Nation from Nigeria.
The declaration has posed concern to many Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora.
She made the declaration in a viral video saying the secession was effective Friday, April 12, 2024.
Proclaiming the sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of Yoruba, she said that Yoruba has become the newest nation in the world and 55th in Africa.
According to her, “We are Indigenous people, we’re sovereign people, we’re ethnic nationalists. We’ve decided to secede from Nigeria on November 20, 2022. And today, April 12, 2024, we decided to finally leave Nigeria.,
“I, Modupe Onitiri Abiola, proclaimed the sovereignty of the democratic republic of Yoruba today, Friday, April 14, 2024. From today henceforth, Yoruba Land has commenced its own republic. By that virtue, it’s now become the newest nation in the world,” she said in the clip.
Though recorded on Friday, the video emerged after some
Yoruba Nation agitators invaded the Oyo State Government secretariat in the Agodi area of the state on Saturday, April 13, 2024.
Citizens Compass reported that the agitators were dressed in foreign military camouflage and other paraphernalia with an attempt to break into the Oyo Governor’s office and the state House of Assembly complex.
However, they were subdued by a combined effort of policemen on duty at the Governor’s Office, soldiers, operatives of the South-West Security Network codenamed Amotekun and other security reinforcements.
The Nigerian Army later announced that nine of the intruders were arrested, while one semi-automatic pump action rifle and ammunition were recovered from them.
Meanwhile, a report later emerged that the secessionists were members of the ‘Ominira Yoruba,’ a secessionist group led by Modupe.
This was confirmed by Prof Banji Akintoye, leader of the Yoruba Nation self-determination group and Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, in a statement on Saturday.
