As Adams urges FG not to destroy Nigeria with nepotic tendencies
From Priscilla Ofunre, Ado-Ekiti
Two foremost leaders from the South West, Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum who doubles as Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, and the Are-Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Chief Gani Adams on Monday allayed fears expressed from some quarters in the country that the South West Security outfit code named Amotekun was a ploy by the region to secede from the country, assuring that the South West governors and people were only working towards a secured and de-triibalized Nigeria.
Both Fayemi and Adams said the Southwest region remains part of Nigeria and shall continue to be part of Nigeria and will continue to be committed to a united and indivisible Nigeria.
Adams also cautioned the Federal Government to sustain Nigeria’s unity by avoiding nepotism in appointing top officials in government.
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They spoke on Monday when the governor hosted a pan-Yoruba development interest group, the Oodua Progressive Union (OPU) Worldwide on its sixth congress, who were led to his office by Adams.
Represented by the Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, Fayemi said nobody should entertain any fear of secession by the Southwest over the launch of Amotekun which he said was meant to protect all Nigerian residents in the region.
Adams hailed all the six Governors in the Southwest for coming together with the idea of a security arrangement to protect their people, lives and property in the zone.
Fayemi explained that Governors in the Southwest decided to establish Amotekun to tackle criminal activities like armed robbery, kidnapping, illegal destruction of lives and property and give assurance of safety to all residents.
He said: “Amotekun is not political, it was established for the protection of our people and stem the tide of armed robbery, kidnapping, illegal destruction of lives and property.
“This is the first time that the region is united on the need to raise a security platform to complement the existing security agencies to protect the lives and property of our people which is our constitutional duty.
“I also want to say that the Southwest is not seceding from Nigeria. The southwest zone remains part of Nigeria and it will remain committed to a united and indivisible Nigerian federation.”
Fayemi also commended OPU for promoting the culture of the Yoruba nation all over the world said, his administration fully supported the sustenance of culture and using it to drive social integration, create jobs and boost tourism.
Speaking with newsmen during the OPU sixth World Congress which held at the Adetiloye Hall of the Fountain Holdings in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital, Adams disclosed that OPU was formed in 2011 in Mumbai, India and was set up to organize an annual interface for delegates from all over the world on issues bordering on the sustenance of the Yoruba culture.
Baring his mind on the Amotekun debate, Adams welcomed the agreement reached between the Federal Government and Governors in the Southweston the security network but he cautioned that the President Mohammadu Buhari-led government must be wary of destroying Nigeria’s unity with neptoism in appointing government officials.
He said: “It is necessary for our Governors to have our own security network code-named Amotekun. Life is precious. You don’t politicize the issue of security.
“Anything that affects Ekiti State affects the entire country and if Ekiti State is safe, the entire Nigeria is safe. If the Southwest is safe, the entire Nigeria is safe.
“So, I think the initiative of Amotekun by the Southwest Governors, the President should complement it. He should even add it to their books so that the economic nerve of the nation can be safe in terms of lives and property.
“We don’t need to continue to be throwing missiles at ourselves in the media and anybody who stands as an antagonist to Amotekun, I will perceive the person in two forms.“One, he has an agenda to destroy our zone or two, he is an agent of criminals. Definitely, the agreement between the Federal Government and Southwest Governors is a welcome development. It is for the progress of the country.”
Adams who is the national Coordinator of a Pan Yoruba group, Oodua Peoples Union, urged President Buhari to stop appointing only northerners in top and very germane positions in his government, saying: ” Most important positions at the Federal level from number one to fifteen are northerners. It is this government that has marginalized the Southwest most in appointment.
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” You have a situation whereby only two South West judges are appointed in about 20 judges in the Federation and the rest are northerners. This is apparent nepotism and it should stop so as not to destroy our unity which the OPU has been promoting,” Adams said.
Adams was in Ado-Ekiti to attend the Annual World Congress of the OPU which was scheduled for Ekiti State. He was accompanied to the Governor’s Office by OPU chieftains led by their President, Mr. Olawale Ayinla; culture icon, Chief Jimoh Aliu; Director General, Ekiti State Bureau of Arts and Culture, Mr. Wale Ojo-Lanre and officials of various pan-Yoruba groups.
