By TINA TIMOTHY

Yoruba Emancipation Union Worldwide has called on all legislators in South Western Nigeria, to as a matter of urgency, live up to expectations to rescue their lands and provide security for their people.

In an open letter to all South West Legislators on Monday, February 26 2024, signed by its Secretary General, Pastor Agbebi Joel Adebola and Director General, Prof EFG Ajayi, the group while lamenting that the people of Yoruba extraction have suffereduntold hardships such as “decades of misgovernment, maladministration, continuous neglect, very poor infrastructural developments, grinding poverty, very low per capita income, … unprecedented crime rate of kidnappings, demand for ransom, rape, maiming and outright termination of innocent lives, in cold blood”, therefore, called on the lawmakers “to enact specific laws to stem the tide of the evil winds.”

“Time has come to call a spade its real name. And indeed, time has come to live up to the expectations of the people of South Western Nigeria, by our State Assembly Legislators.

“It is trite to emphasize the fact our people of Yoruba extraction, have been suffering untold hardships from decades of misgovernment, maladministration, continuous neglect, very poor infrastructural developments, grinding poverty, very low per capita income; and currently the situation is compounded and worsened by security crises, as witnessed in unprecedented crime rate of kidnappings, demand for ransom, rape, maiming and outright termination of innocent lives, in cold blood.

“At this crucial time when most people are gripped with fear over their lives and properties, we cannot but draw the attention of all our brothers and sisters in the South West Nigeria legislative arm of government, to the fact that all legislators in South Western Nigeria need to come together, to enact specific laws to stem the tide of the evil winds of security crises, causing strangulations and powerfully trying to cause social dislocations and serious erosion of our cultural value systems,” the group stated.

The group further decried the threat on values and social relationships of the Yoruba people adding that “the name “Omoluabi” and accolades associated with that appellation, have all gone down the drain”, despite being the “pacesetters in Nigeria and indeed Africa in political, economic, social and infrastructural developments.”

The letter continued: ”Indeed, the social cohesion and fabrics of our social relationships, the family and all forms of our cultural values, are daily threatened. The name “Omoluabi” and accolades associated with that appellation, have all gone down the drain because Western civilization has taken away all the hitherto cherished values that we hold dearest. Our hearts are heavy indeed by the news of serious security breaches. We in Yoruba Emancipation Union, find it very unpalatable, the spiral news of insecurities which has recently robbed us of peace and tranquillity, that we used to enjoy.

“We like to remind all, that the Yorubas are pacesetters in Nigeria and indeed Africa in political, economic, social and infrastructural developments. The first Television station (WNBC) in Africa was built in Western Nigeria, ahead of France and many European countries, first Olympic Standard Stadium, Cocoa House, the first tallest building in Africa, First Universal Free Education, etc.”

Quoting the provision of section 100 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as regards the mode of exercising legislative power of a state, general fragile security architecture, Amotekun state security, and open anti grazing law, the group further stressed that the lawmakers, being the sole law-making authorities in their respective states, cannot afford to allow the situation to deteriorate further but should act decisively to lift the Western Nigeria from the present situation.

Continuing, the group said: “With the roll call of achievements attributable to us as a people, we cannot afford to relax into lethargy, stagnancy or worst still, retrogression. Now is the time for all our legislators to come together and work assiduously in unity, to enact laws for urgent quantum lift of Western Nigeria from the present situation, to where we are supposed to be, that is, a well-coordinated and integrated development, full of opportunities, secured, very peaceful and vibrant.

“For the avoidance of doubts and clarity of expression, we humbly wish to remind our legislators that they are the sole law-making authorities in their respective states, in that regard, we hereunder reproduce the provision of section 100 of The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 Updated with the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Alterations 2023, which provides that:

“The power of a House of Assembly to make laws shall be exercised by bills passed by the House of Assembly and, except as otherwise provided by this section, assented to by the Governor.

“A bill shall not become law unless it has been duly passed and, subject to subsection (1) of this section, assented to in accordance with the provisions of this section.

“Where a bill has been passed by the House of Assembly it shall be presented to the Governor for assent.

“Where a bill is presented to the Governor for assent, he shall within thirty days thereof signify that he assents or that he withholds assent.

“Where the Governor withholds assent and the bill is again passed by the House of Assembly by two-thirds majority, the bill shall become law and the assent of the Governor shall not be required.

“By virtue of section 100 of the Nigeria Constitution as stated above, we strongly appeal for concerted efforts of legislators to enact laws, which makes our forests and lands free from “squatters” cattlerearers, kidnappers, criminals, land grabbers, illegal miners, etc. This is very urgent. Severe punishments that must serve as huge deterrents must be clearly spelt out in the laws to uphold such laws, and make the laws very effective. We hasten to add that the continuing occupation of our farmlands and forests by the Fulanis, is the main reason why we are not safe. The forests are their home base, after they have perpetrated their criminal activities, they retreat to the forests, therefore flushing them out of the said forests, is the panacea to the recurring hassles of insecurities in Western Nigeria.

“This Amotekun Security outfit must be strengthened and well-equipped to deal with criminals and fight to protect Western Nigeria, in co-operation with other security agencies. This agency must never be allowed to surfer the dearth of modern security equipment.

“Other security organisations like OPC, Agbekoya, Vigilante Groups and local hunters must be captured into this law, to create comprehensive security, and to carry all of them along for effectiveness, efficiency and prevent negligence, conflicts of interests or counter- productivity.

“There is no better time than now to enact ANTI GRAZING LAW in all Western States of Nigeria. By virtue of our cultural inheritance, we are mostly farmers, cattle keeping and grazing is alien to us; it is thus ridiculous how a group of people would forcibly impose their way of life on us, by allowing cattle to graze on our farms, thereby destroying our means of livelihood.

“The following objectives calls for anti-grazing law in all Western States of Nigeria:

“To prevent further destruction of crop farms, plants, community ponds, settlements and property by open rearing and grazing of livestock;

“To prevent incessant clashes between nomadic livestock herders and indigenous owners of crop farmers.

“To protect environmental degradation and pollution caused by open rearing and over grazing of livestock;

“To maximise the use of land resources bearing in mind the overstretched land and increasing population;

“To prevent, control and manage the spread of diseases, as well as ease the implementation of policies that enhance the production of high quality and healthy livestock for local and international markets;

“To create a conducive environment for large scale crop production; and

“Create employment opportunities for the youth with the view to making them entrepreneurs in agro-allied sector of the economy.”

In conclusion, the Yoruba Emancipation Union Worldwide said that as long as “our legislators have taken the oath to serve the people”, they should ensure lives are secured, adding that, “the people are constitutionally empowered to recall any legislator whose performance is below expectations.”

“To the extent that our legislators have taken the oath to serve the people, we hereby appeal to all of them, in the South Western Nigeria to quickly join hands together as brothers and sisters to make lives secured and enjoyable for our citizens.

“Finally, with humility, we hereby wish to draw the attention of our legislators to the unassailable fact that the people are constitutionally empowered to recall any legislator whose performance is below expectations,” the group added.