PAN Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has faulted remarks made by former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwakwanso, who allegedly justified the activities of Fulani herdsmen in the South West.
Senator Kwakwanso had said over the weekend that; “The issue of conflict between the farmers and Fulani herdsmen is not unique to the South West. It is not only common to Nigeria. It is all over the sub region.”
In a statement Afenifere’s publicity secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin said: “In a replay of the sordid episode of 2000 when Arewa leaders rudely stormed the office of then Oyo State governor, Alhaji Lam Adesina on behalf of nomadic cattle rearers, former Kano State governor and serving Senator, Rabiu Kwakwanso, came with verbal daggers to the same city at the weekend asking the age mates of his father to ‘shut up.’”
Clash of civilization
According to him, it is another sad day for the clash of civilizations within the Lugard cage when a man who has occupied all the offices Kwakwanso has held, opens his mouth in a people’s domain and all he vomits makes listeners confuse him with a herdsman or Boko Haram chieftain.”
The statement reads: “Kwankwaso’s grouse with Yoruba leaders was our call for an end to the criminal activities of Fulani herdsmen in the region at the recent summit in Ibadan and that the Yoruba nation may reconsider its place in a union that could not protect us and would not allow us to protect ourselves if we did not see any sign to restructure Nigeria into a proper federation.
“The declaration is not anywhere near the statement of Gen Yakubu Gowon on August 3 1966 when he said; “There is no basis for Nigerian unity, which has been so badly rocked, not only once but several times” or the theme of the North’s revenge coup of July 29, 1967, titled ARABA, an Hausa word meaning let us divide it.”
