By TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI, Lagos

Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs on Monday said the Unrepresented Nations Peoples Organisation (UNPO) is an ordinary Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that has nothing to do with the United Nations.

In a statement he personally signed, Akinyemi, who was the Deputy Chairman of the 2014 National Conference said becoming a member of UNPO does not qualify a group to become member of the UN.

It will be recalled that Prof. Banji Akintoye, a leader of the Yoruba World Congress (YWC) had said with the admission of Yoruba nation as the 45th member of the UNPO, Yoruba can hoist their flag in Nigeria.

Akinyemi however cautioned against hoisting of any flag saying this may attract negative consequences from security agencies.

He said “Now I have become so conflicted about my public position on this issue of membership of the Yoruba people in UNPO because there are some on this platform with whom I have shared confidences on this issue and who have kept the fact that we even spoke confidential. I am grateful to them”.

“But there are others who feel the rules of the platform allow open disclosure of what l assume was private discussion of a public issue.

I appreciate the position of those who feel that the atmosphere surrounding the debate on the UNPO has become so toxic that l should not get myself involved”.

“Now I am involved, l am engaged. There is no doubt that the membership of the Yoruba cause/people in UNPO has given a boost to the morale of those involved in the struggle and who feel the debate has become too academic without progress. The usual barber’s chair syndrome (a lot of movement without progress). If morale boosting is the objective of the move, it should be recognized and applauded”.

“However, there is a need to have clarity. The UNPO is not an agency or specialized agency of the United Nations. So, it is not the United Nations. It is a private NGO. There is no process to graduate from membership of UNPO to membership of the United Nations, short of secession”.

“Secondly, the issue of flying of the flag. There is a need to proceed with caution. No law prevents any organization from adopting and flying a flag. Schools have flags, political parties have flags, labor unions have flags. They all display these flags without disruption or interference by the security agencies”.

“Even the moribound Agbajo Yoruba of which l was the Secretary – General had a flag. But when Nnamdi Kanu and his group flies the Biafran flag, the army is sent in with the consequent loss of

life. The difference is what the significance of the flag is. Flying an Oduduwa /Yoruba land flag now as a demonstration of Yorubaland autonomy may (l am not saying will) provoke a negative reaction from the security forces.”

“The UNPO or UN will not provide any protection. I will not urge this step now. Nothing to provoke the shedding of Yoruba blood is justified.

I hope my intervention has thrown some light on the issue.”

“During the NADECO years, there was a proposal to set up a Government – in – exile in other to energize the struggle. I had to point out that the international law governing human rights organizations like NADECO is different from the international law governing Governments – in-exile. And that governments that tolerated the activities of NADECO might not accept the setting up of the government – in-exile. This would have led to the expulsion of NADECO from Europe and the United States.”

“Let us be wary that frustration does not lead us to embarking on a journey that may have unintended consequences.” (Daily Independent)

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