President Muhammadu Buhari and others in positions of authority in Nigeria have been strongly admonished to take immediate steps to ensure the restructuring of the country if they wish to stop the current move by sections of the country to secede.
Giving this warning was Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the Acting Leader of Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, while paying tribute to Comrade Yinka Odumakin at his funeral ceremony held at Origbo Anglican Grammar School, Moro, Osun State.
It was the final rites for the late National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere that took place on Saturday, April 24, 2021.
Pa Adebanjo and Afenifere have been major proponents of restructuring which they considered as the only way to ensure that the country known as Nigeria does not break.
The Yoruba leader alluded to the response of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State to the agitation by Mr Sunday Adeyemo (Igboho) for a Yoruba nation.
“When Governor Akeredolu said that Ondo State is not for secession, I am in complete agreement with him because we are also not for secession. What we are advocating, what we stand for presently, is for a total restructuring of the country. Restructuring is to consolidate Nigeria and not to break it. The more those in authority delay restructuring, the more they are encouraging secession.”
He was, however, quick to add that the country is presently in a critical state, “very close to the precipice and the only way to save the situation is to restructure it genuinely and without further delay”.
Surrounded by Afenifere chieftains from all the states in Yorubaland, led by the Deputy Leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, Adebanjo said that although Odumakin was like a grand son, he decided to come to his funeral against tradition because of how much the deceased meant to Afenifere.
Chief Adebanjo, a renowned Awoist, declared that those who can, should tell President Muhammadu Buhari that the country is on fire but he can quench the fire by quickly setting the machinery in motion for a genuine restructuring.
The Afenifere Leader also debunked the notion that the Yorubas are asking Fulanis to leave their land.
“We are certainly not asking the Fulanis among us to leave. Those we are asking to leave are those among them who engage in various acts of banditry like kidnapping, raping of our women, killing, preventing our farmers from cultivating their farms by grazing on their farms and so on.”
He went further to say that not only should the bandits be apprehended, they should be made to face justice and pay dearly for their crimes.
Apart from assuring the Odumakin family of Afenifere’s support, Adebanjo commended Governors of Yoruba states for standing firm. He urged them not to relent on what will make Nigeria to survive which for now is restructuring.
Governors of Ekiti, Oyo and Osun States who were physically at the ceremony also paid tributes to Yinka.
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti state disclosed that he and Yinka were together in activism along with Joe, Yinka’s wife among others. He asserted that the human rights community will not forget the departed activist.
Engineer Seyi Makinde of Oyo State stated that the late Yinka and himself were of the same age. He also spoke eloquently of the qualities of Yinka. He expressed the hope that people of his generation and those following them will continue to live by the ideals for which Yinka lived and died for.
Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola of Yinka’s home state of Osun disclosed that shortly before he took ill that landed him in hospital, Yinka paid him a visit in the Government House, “little did I know that it was to be his farewell visit”.
Oyetola further spoke glowingly of Yinka and added that the state will not forget him.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, through his representative, said that Yinka was a true Yoruba son, a son to be proud of. He made two busts for the late activist.
Yinka’s widow, Dr Joe Okei Odumakin, recalled how she and Yinka met in detention and some challenges they went through in fighting for the cause of Yoruba land and Nigeria.
After showering encomiums on all those who supported her family, Joe said that if she is to come to this world again, she would like to marry Yinka Odumakin all over again.
Human rights activists and civil society organisations were there to pay homage to one of their own.
Bishop Wale Oke who prayed on the occasion eulogised Pa Adebanjo for his steadfastness and manifested devotion to God Almighty. He prayed for more years of service for the old man.
Apart from the governors of Osun, Oyo and Ekiti, prominent faces at the event included Sir Tunji Alapini, a former AIG, Basorun Dele Momodu, Dr Olusegun Mimido, ex-Governor of Ondo State, Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Dr Charles Akinola, Mr Edward Dickson, the MD at Tribune Newspapers, Gbenga Adeyinka 1st, Ambassador Wale Ojo Lanre, Dr Gbola Adetunji, Hon Babs Oduyoye, Hon Shina Peller, Olayinka Agboola of PMParrot, Comrade Awa Bamiji, Chief Shina Akinpelu and several other great Nigerians.
After the service, Yinka Odumakin’s remains were interred in his country home located within Moro town.
Packaged by Emmanuel Adeniran with additional reports from Jare Ajayi
