By Wale Oyewale

The Oodua Peoples Congress, New Era, has condemned the ultimatum issued by the Arewa Youth Assembly for the Yoruba living in the North to vacate the zone.

The OPC National Public Relations Officer, Adesina Akinpelu, said this in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Sunday.

It described the statement by the AYA as careless, stating that against the Hausa were never known to be enemies of the Yoruba people despite their differences.

The statement read in part, “The statement credited to one Mohammed Salihu Danlami, Speaker, Arewa Youth Assembly, is uncalled for. It is very unfortunate that some Hausa have refused to accept the reality that Fulani are the major problem bedeviling Nigeria as a nation.

“The Fulani have virtually hijacked everything from us; even Hausa always play the second fiddle. The Arewa youth group should go back to history and check how the two tribes have worked together.”

The statement added that the OPC had no grouse against the group but would not relent in its demand that criminal elements should exit Yoruba land.

The OPC added, “In as much as we want independence, the Yoruba are not against other tribes, who are law-abiding or those doing legitimate businesses in Yoruba land. We will not support anybody or group that tries to instigate Yoruba people against the law-abiding people of other tribes. No people or nation exists in isolation.

“The Fulani had tormented and seen to the collapse of Yoruba empires until the united Yoruba forces sent them back. We must come together to speak against our oppressors, who are operating as if they are above the law of the land.”

Originally published at Punch