The usual narrative of secession in Nigeria has for many years now been ascribed to the Igbos of the eastern region of the country. The proponents of this pull out known as Biafran agitators have made sure to emphasize that they no longer believe in the ide of a one Nigeria.
However, this group is not the only one with secession motives. The Okun-Yoruba speaking people of Kogi state have now declared thei
r readiness to opt-out of the northern political zone.
They also want to opt-out of the boundary descriptions that group them as part of northern Nigeria. According to them, their separation from their kith and kin in Ondo, Ekiti and Kwara states amount to an infringement on their right to self-determination.
They said as a result of this, they want to be reunited with their people in south-west. They made this known under the aegis of Okun Liberty Advocacy (OLA).
Chief Emmanuel Otitoju, president of the group said that they desire a referendum under the proposed constitutional review, by the National Assembly.
“We have studied and aligned with the positions of the Okun Development Association’s (ODA) memorandum sent to the National Assembly for a constitutional review and restructuring.
“And, our positions are as follows: that our separation from our kith and kin in the Southwest has inhibited our growth and development for a tortuous century thus far.
“We, therefore, demand that the boundary be readjusted to relocate our people and territory back to where we belong in Southwest of Nigeria.”
A scholar, A
de Obayemi, argued that the Okun people are aboriginals in the Niger-Benue confluence and the turn of events that followed the Nupe military incursion of the 19th century left the Okun people as minorities in the Northern Region of Nigeria, separated from their relatives in the southwest.
