Don’t Blame Us When We Fight Back, Adams Tells FG

Tobi Soniyi

The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Chief Gani Adams has said that the Yoruba ethnic group should not be blamed if it decides to react to the killings in the region.
He was reacting to the killing of Mrs Olufunke Olakunrin, the daughter of Reuben Fasoranti, leader of Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group.

She was shot dead by armed men along Benin-Ore road on Friday afternoon. Yinka Odumakin, spokesman of Afenifere, attributed the incident to herdsmen. However, Thisday could not independently verify his claim.

In a statement by his media aide, Kehinde Aderemi, Adams said the Yoruba race was not short of ideas needed to put an end to atrocities in the region.
Adams, who is the leader of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), described the death of Olakunrin as an invasion of the peaceful atmosphere of the south-west region.

“We only want the whole world to know what has been done and being done to our people. They should be aware of the actions that preceded our reaction when it eventually comes,” he said.

“We are not bereft of ideas of how to stop this criminality on our land. It is just so that we should not be blamed when the reaction comes.
“We are like the proverbial goat that it being chased. When it gets to the wall, it will certainly react. We are at that stage now.”

He commiserated with Fasoranti, praying God to comfort him and his entire household.

Meanwhile, Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola yesterday described the killing of Mrs Olakunri as a dastardly act that should be probed.

According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Adeniyi Adesina, the governor, who expressed shock, condemned the killing of Pa Fasoranti’s daughter and called on security agents not to leave any stone unturned in the probe to ensure that the killers are nabbed and brought to justice.

“This should not be another case of unresolved murder. All efforts should be made to get to the root of this,” Oyetola said.
He condoled with Pa Fasoranti and Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, over the death.

The youth wing of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, has also reacted to the killing, saying it could spark another “tribal war”.