Don’t Give Ile-Ife Crisis Ethnic Coloration, ACF Urges Yorubas

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L-R; Mr. Akinwumi Ambode (Lagos State); Senator Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun State); Senator Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo State); Mr. Ayodele Fayose (Ekiti State); Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (Osun State): and Dr. Rotimi Adelola, SSG Ondo State during the South-West Governors’ Economic Forum, held at the Oyo State Governor’s Office, Ibadan…(File photo)

By; AMOS TAUNA,, Kaduna
The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has appealed to Yoruba elders to in
the interest of national unity restrain from giving ethnic coloration
to the unfortunate crisis that erupted in Ile-ife, Osun State
recently.
ACF described the clash between some Yoruba and Hausa traders as
criminality that does not know ethnicity or religion.
The Northern socio-cultural group in a statement in Kaduna on Monday
by its Publicity Secretary, Muhammadu Ibrahim, noted with dismay,
accusations by some Yoruba leaders that the police report on the clash
was biased, as the suspects paraded by the police were alleged to be
mainly Yoruba.
It therefore cautioned that, disagreement between individuals or
groups of persons that were regarded as ethnic or religious tend to
deepen hatred and division among Nigerians, therefore, elders known
for their wisdom in settling disputes should not fan embers of
divisions among their followers.
According to the statement, “After the unfortunate clash that happened
two weeks ago at Ile-Ife, Osun State between some Yoruba and Hausa
traders, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) in our reaction condemned the
killings and called on all and sundry involved to eschew bitterness
and imbibe the spirit of accommodation and tolerance.
“ACF commended the prompt action taken by the Security Agencies, the
Osun State government and community leaders to restore peace and
normalcy in Ile-Ife.
“ACF also called on the various communities that have lived together
in peace and harmony over the years to always exercise restraints in
their utterances on such sensitive issues that might snowball into
crises with reprisal consequences. Our position was widely published
in both print and electronic media.
“Unfortunately, subsequent events after the preliminary investigation
report of the police into the Ile-Ife crisis, there have been
accusations by some Yoruba leaders that the police report was biased,
as the suspects paraded by the police were alleged to be mainly
Yoruba.
“ACF’s position in this regard is to appeal to the respected elders of
Yoruba not to give unnecessary ethnic coloration to the unfortunate
Ile-Ife clash as criminality knows no ethnicity or religion.
“Any slightest disagreement between individuals or groups of persons
that are regarded as ethnic or religious tend to deepen hatred and
division among Nigerians. Elders are known for their wisdom in
settling disputes and not to fan embers of divisions among their
followers.
“ACF therefore, once more calls for restraints among the various
community leaders and urge them to document their grievances and
channel same through our known legal process of addressing such
grievances, rather than making provocative and inciting statement
capable of creating disunity.”

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