Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere has backed Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka’s assertion that farmers-herdsmen clashes could lead to civil war if not quickly addressed.
National Publicity Secretary of the group, Yinka Odumakin spoke on Monday during an appearance on Arise TV’s “The Morning Show”.
The Herald had quoted Soyinka as saying: “We may enter a phase of serial skirmishes which may get more and more violent and develop – I hate to use the word – may develop into a civil war and a very untidy and messy one at that. That is my biggest fear.”
His comment came amid eviction notices issued to Fulani herdsmen in Ondo and Oyo states and farmers-herdsmen clashes in Ogun State.
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Asked if Soyinka and others like him were promoting war with their comments, Odumakin said, “The Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, is (well-) known. You cannot say that he is beating the drum of war or he is an alarmist.
“People are painting the reality that is on the ground. If what is happening in the South-West today, let’s say some Yoruba boys had gone to do one per cent of that in the north, there would have been a war in this country by now.
“So, when Professor Wole Soyinka is warning President Buhari now that if you don’t speak up now, what is going on will lead to civil war, he is not just talking in vain.”
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