PRESS STATEMENT
PRESS STATEMENT
Oct. 1st Protest: Do not engage in confrontation with police as violence will cause our struggle distractions – Akintoye
Says “We Yoruba people command the Intellectual, Cultural and Human Capabilities to win our self determination peacefully”
29th September, 2020
For a second time within 48 hours, the President-General of Yoruba World Congress (YWC), Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye has called on well-meaning Yoruba people within and beyond the nation of Nigeria that want to stage liberation protest on October 1st never to engage in confrontation with the men and officers of the Nigerian Police and other law enforcement agencies, saying “violence would cause a damage distractions to the liberation struggle and give us a bad image”.
The renowned Historian and Second Republic Senator said the Yoruba people are intellectually sophisticated, brilliant, intelligent and grounded enough to achieve their liberation without resorting to violence.
In a statement personally signed by him and made available to newsmen on Tuesday through his Media Office, Akintoye said the Yoruba people in Nigeria are very proud of those in the diaspora who have decided to lead the battle.
“As Yoruba people in Diaspora hold mass rallies in many countries of the world on October one, I very warmly congratulate and thank them all.
“All Yoruba people back home in Nigeria are watching them with joy, gratitude and pride. Yoruba people at home are grateful that you are showing the wide world the the horrific conditions in which Yoruba people live in Nigeria.
“The barbarous invasion of our land by a people, the Fulani, who are part of Nigeria, the fiendish killings of our people and destruction of our homes and means of livelihood. And the massive importations of armed men to our towns and cities.
“For Yoruba people at home in Nigeria, my message is to repeat my earlier messages: Please keep our rallies thoroughly peaceful. Never display any roudy or disruptive behaviour. Never get into any argument or confrontation with law enforcement personnel. If the police anywhere ask you not to rally or to dispense, disperse peacefully.
“Always remember that your message is too important to allow confrontations or distractions. Your Yoruba nation is powerful. It commands the intellectual, human and other resources to achieve its self-determination in a peaceful and law abiding manner.
“It is good to hold rallies. Rallies help to spread the message. But we must not allow our rallies to create outcomes that can disrupt, obstruct or distract from our centeral message,” Akintoye, said.
SIGNED
Professor Banji Akintoye
President-General,
Yoruba World Congress (YWC).
29th September, 2020
