Professor Banji Akintoye, the National Leader of the Yoruba Self-Determination Movement, has raised alarm over the deaths of an estimated 29,000 Yoruba people, allegedly at the hands of Fulani herdsmen.
This concern has led him to intensify his call for Yoruba separation from Nigeria, urging governors and traditional rulers in the Southwest to declare September 23 as “Yoruba Unity Day.”
In a statement marking the anniversary of Yoruba Unity Day, Akintoye accused Fulani bandits of carrying out violent attacks, raping women, and committing other atrocities against the Yoruba people. He stressed that these continued threats to life and the destruction of farmlands leave the Yoruba with no choice but to seek independence.
“The only viable solution to this horrific situation is to separate the Yoruba nation from Nigeria. This would allow us to secure our land, people, and economy in a way that aligns with Yoruba values,” said Akintoye, a renowned historian.
He claimed that these attacks have significantly affected rural communities, where Fulani herdsmen allegedly kill, kidnap, extort ransom money, and destroy farms and villages. “In the rural areas of our homeland, these attackers are daily killing our people. The toll has reached an estimated 29,000, with widespread reports of rapes, kidnappings, and economic devastation,” he added.
Akintoye called on Southwest governors and traditional leaders to recognize Yoruba Unity Day as a public holiday, emphasizing the importance of collective action. “Our Obas, the fathers of our nation, should adopt this day in their Councils of Obas across the Yoruba states. I also urge our governors to declare Yoruba Unity Day during their Southwest Governors’ meeting,” he said.
He further encouraged all Yoruba people, both in Nigeria and the diaspora, to support the movement for self-determination. Akintoye argued that the ongoing Nigerian crisis poses an existential threat to the Yoruba nation, stating, “Our push for separation is not based on emotion or self-interest. It is a sound, realistic, and widely accepted response to the Nigerian situation, which threatens the survival of the Yoruba nation.”
Regarding the regional security outfit, Amotekun, Akintoye expressed disappointment, stating that while it was initially a hopeful step, the federal government has weakened its effectiveness. “The Fulani terrorists have become bolder, even in our major cities,” he said.
Akintoye also addressed the challenges faced by President Bola Tinubu, a Yoruba leader, who he said is facing increasing threats of political instability, regional unrest, and even the prospect of a military coup.
