Personality in Focus
Prof Banji Akintoye Berates the 2023 General Election
By Kayode Emola
In an interview granted to the Yoruba World Media last weekend, Prof Akintoye berated the ongoing 2023 General election stating that what the Yoruba people need is an independent Yoruba nation. Prof. Akintoye stated that the international observers will have noticed that southern Nigeria especially the Yoruba region was heavily militarised during this election. This cannot be a way to conduct a free and fair election.
The Inspector General (IG) of Police some few weeks ago made a statement that the Yoruba people were amassing guns and other weapons to disrupt the 2023 elections which was not true. It is now clear to the whole world that the IG statement was just a ruse for the federal government to intimidate the Yoruba people. We have made it clear that we cannot be intimidated in our own land and we stand ready to defend it, no matter what. A few years ago, President Buhari made a coded statement for any Fulani in West Africa to come to Nigeria even without proper documentation and since then, they have been coming in large numbers since 2015. Once arrived in Nigeria, they are automatically given Nigeria citizenship and the right to vote which is an insult to the indigenous peoples of Nigeria.
Recall that a former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, has stated previously that the Fulani are planning for a war in Nigeria and it is the plan of the Fulani to conquer the indigenous peoples of Nigeria and take over their land. Prof. Akintoye stated that there is already a silent war going on amidst the election as innocent people are being kidnapped on a daily basis on the highway. Farmers are unable to go to their farms for fear of being kidnapped and maimed by Fulani militias.
It is now clear to the world that the government has always been looking for an excuse to invade the Yorubaland. We have always conducted our self-determination struggle with the utmost decorum and all our rallies have been peaceful. Our rally in Ibadan had over 1.5 million people in attendance and we thought that was big, however, when we went to other Yoruba cities, the crowd grew bigger and bigger until our rally in Ado Ekiti recorded over 3.5 million people in 2021. All we are trying to do is to take our Yoruba nation out of the barbarism of Nigeria. Nigeria is no longer a safe place for the Yoruba people and we need to get out now.
Nothing is safe in Nigeria and in the last 2 weeks, it has been madness everywhere in Nigeria. First, it was petroleum products that were not made available and then it became no currency for the people to spend. This caused distress to many of our people as some people resulted in stripping themselves naked in banking halls. The failed currency redesign has caused riots on the streets, in all of this, the government is now resulting in using the army to intimidate our people.
This is the true situation of things in Nigeria so I want the international observers to see what is happening and not the ruse that the government is projecting. What the government is showcasing to the world is untrue, the brutality on our people is inhumane and we cannot tolerate the oppressive Nigeria regime. There is a destructive war in Nigeria that the government is not showing, and this is what I want you to take back to your respective countries.
To my Yoruba people, I congratulate us as we inch closer to victory, and for being peaceful throughout our campaign. Many people have asked what happens after the elections? Elections may be taking place today but it doesn’t mean that we are happy. Even after the elections, it doesn’t mean that the country may not disintegrate. We just continue to press on with our quest for an independent Yoruba nation.
It doesn’t mean that we will cause any trouble, the trouble will come from those who are embittered by the results of the election in Nigeria and we will be ready to take our Yoruba country out by then. We will not ferment any trouble but my prayers are that there should be a situation in Nigeria that will cause will give us the opportunity to take our Yoruba nation out of Nigeria.
Even if a new president comes into office, we will continue to fight and we are now fighting better. We now have a lot of our people in several countries working for us, most of them are even doing it without us giving them any money and they are getting good results. I say to you my Yoruba people, we will be free very soon and be able to build the most prosperous black nation on earth.
Kayode Emola is the Spokesperson for Prof. Akintoye
Former Presidential Spokesperson, Doyin Okupe has reportedly passed away.
TheNewsGuru reports that the senior adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan and, recently, the Director-General of Peter Obi’s 2023 Presidential Campaign died at 71, after a long struggle with cancer.
In October 2023, Okupe was hospitalized with prostate cancer and was flown to Israel for treatment.
However, it was learnt that his condition did not improve as expected.
Okupe had a history of prostate cancer, first diagnosed 16 years ago, and a later bout with sarcoma in his right shoulder.
Following his milestone achievements as Chairman of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), the Chairman/CEO of Executive Group, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan has been officially announced as the Patron of the Police advocacy initiative in Lagos State, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report.
The POCACOV is the Nigeria Police Force advocacy initiative to help young people avoid cultism and other vices. It uses advocacy, awareness, and sensitization to help young people avoid vices by conducting community outreaches to schools, inner cities, rural areas, and urban centres. It also helps to rehabilitate and reintegrate those who have been cut in the web of cultism, crimes, and social vices.
It would be recalled that Dr. Ayo Ogunsan took up the Chairmanship job about a year ago and was able to use his grand standing as the Board Member of Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), prime supporter of security news beat association National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), and leadership of non-profit initiative, AKEM Foundation to champion his work and various impacting activities in the past one year. This is why POCACOV through its National Coordinator, ACP Olabisi Oluseyi Okuwobi on behalf of the Inspector General of Police announced his official elevation into the role of Patron of POCACOV in Lagos State.
The United Nations POLAC International Peace Advocate, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan expressed his gratitude to the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun and the National Coordinator, ACP Okuwobi for the new role and promised to give direction to the new Chairman, Mr. Moses Oladimeji which will lead to improved performance of POCACOV in Lagos.
‘I will keep raiding our communities with love. We will give them food, shelter, etc. Police will do the Police work but I will do the policing of love’, Ogunsan affirmed.
This piece is contributed by Oki Samson
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Shamsedeen Ogunjimi as the new Accountant General of the Federation after a rigorous selection process.
A statement by Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), Bayo Onanuga said his appointment, approved on Tuesday, takes effect from 7th March 2025, the same day the incumbent Oluwatoyin Madehin will retire.
Ogunjimi, 57, was first named as Madehin’s successor last December.
“A selection committee later chose him through a competitive, rigorous, and merit-based process involving Directors of Accounts in the Federal Civil Service. The committee conducted the process through three stages: a written assessment, an ICT proficiency test, and oral interviews.
“The selection process underscores President Tinubu’s commitment to promoting transparency, excellence, and competence in key public service positions,” the statement read in part.
Ogunjimi graduated from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Accountancy.
He also obtained a Master’s in Accounting and Finance from the University of Lagos.
He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria.
President Tinubu congratulated Ogunjimi on his appointment, and urged him to discharge his duties in the service with integrity, professionalism, and dedication to Nigeria’s service.
