The leader of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has said the North cannot dictate to the rest of the country who becomes the president.

Adebanjo spoke on Monday during a public lecture themed, ‘Nationalism and nation-building in Nigerian history,’ held at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs on Victoria Island, Lagos.

He said, “It was said that the South-East must come to negotiate with the North because politics is a game of numbers. My case is – and I told people yesterday – the case for the East is not to beg for a favour; it is their right. Yet, each time I hear that they should go around because the North has the population, what fraudulent population? You can’t sell that to me.

“They tell us to work together but unfortunately because they now have produced a president at the helm of affairs, they say ‘no one can become president except you come to the North and unfortunately, some southerners have been brainwashed that they can’t do anything except they bow to the North. I don’t believe it.

“What right has the North to dictate who will become our president? We were brought together not by peace, not by agreement, they forced us together and we agreed, so to continue to live together in peace must be by agreeable terms. The East has the right not because he is Igbo but because it is in Nigeria. The principle of Afenifere is on ideological basis and principle of rightness, inclusiveness and not any sentiment.”

The President of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof. George Obiozor, in his opening remark, explained that no generation of Nigerian leaders since independence had been able to create an atmosphere of credibility to ensure Nigeria’s claim to a political future as one nation.

He said, “Recently, some Nigerian political leaders have said that Nigerian unity is non-negotiable. This is an irony because these leaders seem to have forgotten Nigerian history or have failed to learn the lessons of history in general.

“Nigerian unity is definitely negotiable and must be re-negotiated for it to stand or survive the test of time. The reality over the years remains that in spite of the best efforts of all our leaders past or present, Nigerian unity is not guaranteed.

“It is simply, at best, an aspiration and not yet an achievement. Consequently, the statement that Nigerian unity is ‘non-negotiable’ is simply a historical fallacy.”

On his part, the National Director of Publicity of the Northern Elders Forum, Dr Hakeem Ahmed, said, “Some Nigerian political leaders have said Nigeria’s unity is non-negotiable. I don’t know who these people are, but I can tell you they are not of the North and they are not related to the NEF.

“Nigeria’s unity is negotiable. You either negotiate it because nations are very fragile and very delicate and you have to nurture them and pay attention to their need or they break and we are at that breaking point.”

The guest lecturer, Prof. Jide Osuntokun, lamented that since 1966, Nigeria had struggled to find a method to balance the regional desire for autonomy under a national structure.

“It was said that the South-East must come to negotiate with the North because politics is a game of numbers. My case is and I told people yesterday,the case for the East is not to beg for a favour; it is their right. Yet, each time I hear that they should go around because the North has the population, what fraudulent population? You can’t sell that to me.

“They tell us to work together but unfortunately because they now have produced a president at the helm of affairs, they say ‘no one can become the president except you come to the North.
unfortunately, some southerners have been brainwashed that they can’t do anything except they bow to the North. I don’t believe it.

“What right has the North to dictate who will become our president? We were brought together not by peace, not by agreement, they forced us together and we agreed, so to continue to live together in peace must be by agreeable terms.

The East has the right not because he is Igbo but because it is in Nigeria. The principle of Afenifere is on ideological basis and principle of rightness, inclusiveness and not any sentiment.”

-"Lies always have a beginning and an end, but the truth lasts forever."

-"No matter the distance lie travels, the truth will always meet up and overtakes it."

-“No one is more hated than he who speaks the truth.”- (Plato).

-"If you stand for the truth, you will always stand alone." - Lucky Dube.

-"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience and comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."( Martin Luther King Jr.)

adenigga:

“What right has the North to dictate who will become our president? We were brought together not by peace, not by agreement, they forced us together and we agreed, so to continue to live together in peace must be by agreeable terms.

Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free!

Pa Adebanjo may history always be kind to you

Nigeria never had it this bad!

Before, we were even even contemplating of removing state of origin, so that everyone can have a sense of belonging but today, what do we have

Yet na him dey preach peace pass but silently killing this country!!!

descarado:
Respect sir.

Have been singing this always.
Southern men are the real cowards except very few. The way they worship the North is quite shameful.
From orji uzor kalu to tinubu, amaechi, name them. They are in government with their fellowvmen yet can't look them in the eyes and demand for what is rightfully theirs without clause attached.


For the first time ever, even if it doesn't make sense, southern governors(g5) made the sultan of sokoto visit rivers state. The south don't know what they have. They are the Nigeria and the North should be running after them playing catch up in everything. That also is the only way the North should be forced to grow.

GoooodHardDick:
This man and Obj are the only sensible Yoruba Men alive.

They deserve My respect any day anytime twice on Tuesday morning.