2019: YCE warns against political carnage

The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) has warned politicians to avoid any action that may take Nigeria back to the dark age of political violence and killings.

YCE, an umbrella Elder’s organ of all Yoruba Socio-Cultural body in a statement issued in Abeokuta by the interim President, Dansaki Samuel Agbede and Alh. Rasheed Olusegun Adesina, the Acting Publicity Secretary implored all Yoruba sons and daughters in the political arena to play the game with caution.

The group warned against the repeat of political carnage in the early 60’s and “we will never wish for a return to such a rape on democracy and wanton killings culminating into the military coup of 1966.

“Many of our sons and daughters lost their lives both as politicians and serving military officers. We implore our sons and daughters to ensure the status of the Yoruba race as the most enlightened, pace-setter in politics and peace loving where equal opportunities are given to non Yorubas in all human endeavours in the federation”.

Yoruba Council of Elders also condemned the rampaging killings of innocent people in various parts of the country reportedly associated with some set of people.

“We call for immediate response from both the State and Federal Government to put in motion machinery of all security operatives and other measures that will instantly put an end to the unfortunate incidents of insecurity, kidnapping, youth restiveness, religious and communal clashes in various states of our nation”.

The statement added that “youths, who we all pray should be the leaders of tomorrow must be shown a good example by all and sundry right from the homestead and by those in positions of authority.

We urge our people to go all out to exercise their civil responsibilities by ensuring that the collect their PVC as a tool to vote in all inclusive leaders in the coming elections.

“We commend Government and people of Ekiti State for the peaceful conduct of the recent guber polls. It is the hope of Yoruba Council of Elders, that other states in the South/West will emulate such exhibition of common sense before, during and after the elections”.

“Yoruba Council of Elders is most concerned with the lingering issue of restructuring in our national psyche. Thus, we view the restructuring as a time-bomb that should be treated with utmost care and with dispatch.

Recent happenings in some parts of our country is a pointer to why the political class should be wary of imminent but avoidable chaos occasioned by lack of action or in ratio of our country’s leaders to work in harmony for the emancipation of our people nationwide, especially as it concerns the burning issue of grazing”.