Yoruba Koya demands true federalism.

– Steve Ovirih.

A pan Yoruba organization, ‘ Yoruba Koya’ has dissociated itself from the group of agitators for Oodua Republic, describing their agitation as a misplaced priority. Rather, Yoruba Koya has demanded a return of the country to the path of true federalism , noting that the only means of sustaining the nation is to allow for fiscal federalism that gives room for restructuring and the rights of the component states to develop at their respective pace.

The group made this known in a special interactive session organised to mark Democracy Day 2021, which was marked on June 12 based on the Federal Government’s recognition of the day as against the May 29th Democracy Day cancelled by the Buhari administration.

The interactive session had prominent Yoruba leaders of thought and top actors in the demand for the actualisation of the June 12 , 1993 mandate of Late Chief MKO Abiola.

Among the guest speakers who spoke in support of a genuine federalist setting for the Nigerian state are Dr. Segun Mimiko, former Ondo State Governor, Brigadier Gen. Atanda Yussuf ( RTD), Chief Olabode George, Senator Biyi Durojaye and many more.

The group noted that the Federal Government is operating a quasi unitary system of Government in which the central government just dishes out handouts to the component states barely enough for them to survive.

On the issue of security challenges confronting Nigeria , the group noted that the earlier Federal Government allows for the component states to establish State policing structure, the better for the polity , stressing that the open support given to the open grazing route by Federal Government is anti democratic as the component states are constitutionally protected to prevent their lands from encroachers.