Yoruba Nation Rally: Why I didn’t join the protests – Gani Adams

The Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Gani Adams, has explained why he didn’t partake in the Odua republic rallies across Southwest States led by embattled Yoruba Nation Agitator, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho.

Adams, who spoke during an interview with BBC Yoruba monitored by The Nation, described the raid on Igboho’s residence as unfortunate and bad for democracy.

He said, “According to a rumour which I’m yet to confirm, three herbalists came with DSS for the raid and when they finished the raid some people also said the DSS was also sent back to pick up the cats in his house according to instructions, so definitely those who surrounded him (Igboho) that caused his travails.”

He carpeted President Buhari for dismissing the recommendations of the national confab which could have remedied some of nation’s predicaments.

“There are many mistakes the Buhari’s administration has made, and it has led to our problems. For a country to be peaceful, it is in the hand of the leader

Speaking on Igboho’s sudden emergence in the struggle for Yoruba Nation and his own role as Yoruba generalissimo, “Sunday’s emergence in October was a result of the injustice and the deprivation that has happened over time. Some tribes especially ours believed we were no longer secure.

“On this issue of self-determination, let us ask ourselves apart from the fact that Sunday spoke too much, you cannot blame him, he just started, I’ve been on the struggle for 28 years.

“The level I was in year 2000, I also made some mistakes and I agree; we were talking then, attacking elders too and that’s the level he is now and we must not blame him too much. When he started, he has not used gun to kill anyone, he is just doing protest.

“When he started the protest round South West, truthfully he added my name, and I called him I said Aare cannot join a protest, you want me to spoil the age-long Yoruba tradition.

“I’m the king of warriors. There are some kinds of Kings that are more than the Aare. This is the position of all Yorubas, I’m just the custodian.

“Although I was installed by the Alaafin but my position as the Aare is for all Kings in Yoruba land, it is a position that must be useful for all Yoruba monarchs.

“How will it sound if a whole Aare is in a protest, and he is being tear gassed? And they should be pushing Aare the way they were pushing Oba Ogboni, and the next day, he changed his voice after he was arrested, all these things I’ve done in the past.

“My current position I expected them to use me on strategy, on connection and to use my office to achieve a lot of things.

“Not all monarchs are against self-determination, some are just using their wisdom. I know of Oluwo, and Oba Kuta, that are against Odua Republic,” he added.

Adams noted that a diaspora group, Yoruba One Voice, is also at the forefront of the irrevocable campaign for self-determination for the people of the region.