Date: 2016-12-04

Following the invitation of the traditional monarch of Apado town in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State by the state Intelligence Bureau for a 'security meeting', scheduled for Monday, December 5, Pan-Yoruba group, the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) has called on President Muhhamadu Buhari, the Inspector General of Police and other security agencies in the country, to intervene and stop what it described as a dangerous dimension.

According to the Publicity Secretary of ARG, Kwara State chapter, Chief Jayeola Omotosho, the invitation of Oba Titus Suberu Ajibola, the Alapado of Apado, over the use of his photograph in an almanac that contained other Yoruba traditional rulers in the predominantly Yoruba local government areas of Kwara State was a ploy to silence the people, who he said 'are only demanding for their rights'.

On how the photograph of the monarch was used in the almanac, Omotosho explained that a Yoruba Islamic cleric in Ilorin, who saw the need to bring together the people, printed the almanac and used the photographs of the traditional rulers.

"An enlightened Islamic scholar, who happens to be a Yoruba man and a Chief Imam, in order to further strengthen the relationship among the Yoruba people in the state, printed the almanac and decided to use the photographs of the Yoruba traditional rulers from five local government areas of Aasa, Moro, Ilorin West, Ilorin East and Ilorin South local government areas respectively. He also included the photographs of all Yoruba governors in the almanac. You can therefore ask, what is the sin of the Kabiyesi of Apado to warrant an invitation by a security agency?"

"Our position is that everybody should have their own rights. We all know that, by accident of history, the Emir is placed as number one, but other Yoruba traditional rulers too should have their own rights. In five local government areas, there is no other graded chief except the Emir of Ilorin. And now, the Yoruba are demanding for their rights. It should on the principle of live and let live," he said.

Also speaking on the invitation, Oba Ajibola said he was surprised to receive a letter from the security agency inviting him for a security meeting over the use of his photograph in an almanac, which he said he knew nothing about.

"I was written a letter to come for a security meeting with the state intelligence bureau over a calendar that bears my photograph and those of other monarchs. I did not print the calendar and was not aware of it until my attention was drawn to it. Whether that is an offence or, I won't know until I get to their office," the monarch said.

The National Chairman of ARG, Hon. Wale Oshun, while expressing surprise over the matter, said the Yoruba were never conquered and should not be treated as such. He called on political office holders to be careful not to undermine the position of traditional rulers.

"Categorically, the Yoruba were never conquered. So, it is a surprise that all these are happening in Ilorin. And all political office holders should be very careful not to undermine traditional rulers, because it is dangerous. If you go to Benin Republic where we have Yoruba monarchs, they are not troubling any of them. So, why should political office holders in Nigeria where we have over 43 million Yoruba people be the ones giving these monarchs problems?"