Muslim youths in the Southwest region of Nigeria have distanced themselves from the agitation for secession of the region from Nigeria.
The youths under the aegis of Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Southwest Zone in a release made public and signed by its president, Qaasim Odedeji described the move as “unwarranted, unpatriotic and devilish”.
The group which is an umbrella body of all Muslim students in southern Nigeria enjoined Nigerians not to take serious any faceless Muslim group agitating for a divided Nigeria.
Worried about recent occurrence in the country ranging from terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, among others, the group acknowledged the fact that there is still a lot to be done for a better Nigeria and secession should not be the next move.
The group implored everyone to join hands in the development of Nigeria rather than its breakup.
It enjoined separatists and their allies to reflect on the danger of their call for secession.
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MUSLIM STUDENTS’ SOCIETY OF NIGERIA (MSSN), B-ZONE
Headquarters: Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
Tuesday, 22nd September, 2020
PRESS RELEASE
*Re: Oduduwa Republic: Count Us Out of Your Misadventure*
The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, B-Zone, is deeply concerned about the recent trend of events in our dear country, Nigeria. We are worried that a nation that is endowed with abundance of human and natural resources to attain a developed status has become beset by poverty and insecurity as evidenced by acts of terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, thuggery, cultism and ritual killings in different parts of the country. This had led to feelings of hate, resentment and frustration among the citizens.
In the midst of this emerged recently the renewed agitation by some separatists for the excision of their so-called Oduduwa Republic from Nigeria. By this, some self-acclaimed pan-Yoruba groups are clamouring for the south western part of Nigeria to secede from the Federation. These same groups are behind a faceless Muslim organisation called Yoruba Jamatru aimed at polarising the Muslim Community in the South West. For the avoidance of doubt, no known Muslim group in the South West supports the agitation.
MSSN, B-Zone, representing all Muslim students in Southern Nigeria, unequivocally reject the call for secession which we consider unwarranted, unpatriotic and devilish. Calling for the dismemberment of Nigeria is a call to chaos and anarchy. Any call for secession is invariably a call for war. People who have never seen a war are usually happy and excited about it. You only know when a war begins; no one knows when it would end. We are not at war with anybody. We will never be part of the wicked plan to destroy Nigeria.
Any acclaimed move for the betterment of any society must satisfy some critical conditions, notably, the credibility of persons spearheading the movement. The leaders of the agitation, in our estimation, lack such credibility. Also, the agitation is not well suited because no one can blame any specific ethnic entity as being responsible for Nigeria’s woes. The undesirable situation should be sorted out by all and sundry as the problems to Nigeria’s greatness has been jointly inflicted.
While we acknowledge that there is still much work to be done to make Nigeria a better place, whosoever is interested in the development of the region and the nation should direct all efforts into this rather than separatism.
We appeal to all Nigerians to put all hands on deck to ensure the development of Nigeria. Nations are built on visions, ideals and values. Peace is the most desired by us all as violence is too expensive to pay its dues.
We, therefore, implore the separatists as well as their allies, sponsors and sympathisers to reflect on the dangers of their planned misadventure before it is too late.
Thanks
Signed
Qaasim Odedeji
Amir,
MSSN, B-ZONE
Alh. Abdul Jalil Abdur Razaq
Secretary
Engr Bashir Momoh
Public Relations Officer
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