The entire town of Akure, Ondo state capital was shut down on Saturday as residents trooped out en-mass as the Yoruba nation rally hit the town.
Ilana Omo Oodua, a group agitating for a sovereign Yoruba nation stormed Akure in continuation of its ongoing rally across the Southwest States.
For fear of hoodlums, commercial activities are also shut as traders and shop owners lock up their shops. Some traders packed up their wares and closed their shops to avoid hoodlums from looting their goods in case the rally turned violent.
The rally moved from the Isikan Roundabout to the Oba Adeshida road before proceeding to the Deji of Akure’s palace where Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo known as Sunday Igboho, addressed Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi.
Igboho said there was no going back on the demand for a Yoruba nation and reiterated his stand that there would be no election in the South-West states in 2023.
He said, “We are in Akure to demand Yoruba Nation and now is the time for the actualization of Yoruba nation of our dream and we are ready to employ all peaceful means to achieve this.
“We are tired of the oppression, our traditional rulers have been relegated to the background, our political leaders have little or no regard for our traditional institutions, this must be reversed and power should reside with our traditional rulers.
“We have the resources to develop our Yoruba nation but all these had been siphoned to develop another region but now is the time to save the Yoruba nation from slavery.
“We have the support of our governors in the southwest, and I want to assure them that this rally across the southwest region will not lead to violence.
“We are here to receive your blessing and support and we can assure you that with you on our side, all our dreams will come to reality, we stand for the peaceful dissolution of Nigeria and any violent person during our rallies is a mole planted among us.”
Deji of Akure who was represented by the Edemo of Akure, High Chief Afolabi Fayehun, urged Adeyemo and his followers to be focused and avoid violence.
