An Islamic Cleric and Chief Missioner of the Ansarudeen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdulrahman Ahmad, has warned that elders and political leaders in Yoruba land would be held accountable if the growing agitation for an Oduduwa Republic led to inter-ethnic warfare.

Ahmad made the remark at the Police College, Ikeja, during a lecture to mark the 40-Day Fidau ceremony in hounour of the first Civilian Governor of Lagos State, late Alhaji Lateef Jakande.

He said:

The Igbo declared Biafra, some also said they have declared Oduduwa Republic and we look like people who have no elders.

Ahmad challenged the political leaders in the Southwest to speak and condemn the agitation for Oduduwa Republic.

This is the time to make a statement. You only play politics when you have a country. This country is being threatened. This is a wake up call.

Where are the elders and you political leaders? We can no longer pretend since nothing is well with our country.

We are sitting on a keg of gun powder and even the powder is filled with dynamite. This is not the time to keep quiet. Politicians think of next election but statesmen think of the next generation,

he stated.

Ahmad counseled the federal government to use wisdom to resolve the agitation because

all the bullets and armed forces will not solve the problem. Wisdom is to come down to the level of the people; wisdom is to build trust; wisdom is to avoid another Rwanda; wisdom is to avoid civil war.

In his tribute that was delivered virtually, the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said that Jakande laid a remarkable foundation for the good governance of Lagos State.

Fashola, who is a former Governor of Lagos State, described Jakande as a public servant who had engraved his name in gold, saying

these are some of the reasons why I describe him as a good standard of governance.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.