Nigeria Police Force, Tuesday, foiled a pro ‘Amotekun’ rally organised by the Yoruba World Congress (YWC) in Lagos State.
The group had planned the protest to support the security outfit set up by the six Southwest states – Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Osun and Lagos.
Governors of the South-West states backed by the entire Yoruba nation, on Thursday, January 9, 2020, launched Amotekun in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, saying it was meant to secure the region against rising insecurity; killings, kidnappings, rape, among other violent crimes.
Abubakar Malami, minister of justice and attorney-general, subsequently dubbed the security outfit illegal and unconstitutional, adding also that his office was not consulted.
Meanwhile, Wole Soyinka, a professor of literature, has replied to Balarabe Musa’s allegation that the formation of Amotekun was prelude to Yoruba’s plan to secede from Nigeria.
“Balarabe is sadly, but I hope not tragically wrong. I invoke the tragic dimension here because the making of tragedy, especially for nations, often begins when fears are mistaken, or promoted as facts, and governments either by themselves, or together with interest groups, are enticed by fears into embarking on precipitate, irrational, and irreversible acts.
“Such acts turn out tin the end to be based on nothing but fears, sometimes generated by guilt over past injustices, such as inequitable dealing. That is the basis of tragedy, towards which nations are propelled by a partial or wrongful reading of socio-political realities and – history. I would like to see this nation avoid such a blunder.”
Soyinka argued that raising the spectre of secession is a facile approach to the dangerous, self-evident lapses in governance which Balarabe himself acknowledges in his response to the Amotekun principle made flesh.
“The midwives of Amotekun have repeatedly acknowledged that theirs is only a contribution towards a crisis of escalating proportions. Other states should be encouraged to emulate, not misread such initiatives, then demonise them by false attributions. That is the certain recipe for tragedy,” he said.
The planned protest which was slated to hold at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Park at Ojota, failed to hold as armed policemen laid siege to the venue as early 5:00am and prevented people from entering the venue.
Speaking with newsmen, at the venue of the protest, Mathew Adeyemi Adeleye, director of Media and Communication, YWC, said the purpose of the protest was to show solidarity with the South-West governors in their effort to safeguard the people of the region.
He said the people and the governors would not be intimidated to abandon the security outfit.
According to him, “It’s sad that the police deny us entry despite an earlier order from the area commander. We express serious concern on what is going in Nigeria.
“The Yoruba leader, BanjI Akintoye will inform of the next line of action within the next 24 hours. There is a dilemma in Nigeria, if someone gives instruction and another one gives a counter instruction. “Nigeria according, to her constitution is a democratically free society with the right to gather peacefully and that is why the rally was not done behind the police.
“Amotekun voice must be heard, which means Amotekun should be allowed to be because, it is meant to protect lives and property in Yoruba land, which has been subjected to indiscriminating and annoying oppression in Nigeria, which Amotekun will not allow any more,” he said.
In Ibadan, Oyo State, the solidarity walk in support of Amoteku held as members of the YWC assembled at Remembrance Arcade, as early as 8:00 am carrying banners with inscriptions such “Yoruba Omo Oodua: Protect Yourself, Amotekun”, “On Amotekun we stand”, “We want to know who owns the land. Amotekun”, No Amotekun, No Hisbah”.
Amid tight security, the protesters apart from carrying the placards also sang various solidarity songs to express their support for the Southwest governors and ensure the security outfit works.
Oyo State coordinator of YWC, Kunle Adesokan while speaking with journalists declared that no amount of intimidation from the police, can stop the outfit, saying that security of lives and property of the Yorubas is paramount to the geo-political zone.
According to him, the battle line has been drawn with the Federal Government on the creation of the security outfit .There is no going back on the issue of Amotekun.
