Tinuade Mabel Onaneye, the renowned custodian of Yoruba traditional history in the diaspora, and the titleholder of Erelu Oodua and Irawo Oni of Yoruba Land, on Monday, slammed Governor Rotimi Akeredolu over his reactions to the recent Plateau massacre where some travelling indigenes of Ondo State were ambushed and killed in cold blood by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
Starnews Nigeria reports that no fewer than 15 indigenes of Ondo State who visited Plateau State for a wedding ceremony two weeks ago were ambushed and killed in a cold blood in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Starnews Nigeria can report that the military also confirmed the killing of the travellers who were going through Rukuba Road of Jos North LGA when “hoodlums” blocked the road and launched an attack on their vehicle.
The military added that many of the commuters with varying degrees of injuries were evacuated to a medical facility for care while announcing that 12 suspects had been arrested in connection with the incident.
A statement by Akeredolu’s Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, in Akure, Ondo State capital, said the Governor described the attack as “a case of mistaken identity”.
The statement partly read: “Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, just a few hours ago, received the unfortunate report of the Plateau State tragedy where some people believed to be indigenes of Ondo State was attacked.
“An unconfirmed number of deaths are believed to have been recorded while some are severely injured in the said attack. Their true identity will soon be unravelled.
“The Governor says from the report he received from his brother Governor in Plateau, the incident was a case of mistaken identity.
Akeredolu added that “the victims, according to preliminary reports, took a route where crisis between Muslims and Northern Christians had ensued for some time, and that they may have been possible, mistaken for aggressors.”
Dissatisfied with the Governor’s reaction to the incident, Erelu, the United State of America based businesswoman, commended Governor Akeredolu on his stern decisions against the murderous herdsmen ravaging farmlands and forests in the Southwest; but she however said the Governor Press Statement on the Plateau Killings offends the emotions of the grieving families and betrays the trust that Ondo people reposed on him.
In her open letter to the Governor, Erelu, the Ode Aye born celebrity chided the Governor for positing that the incident was a case of ‘Mistaken Identity, saying that diplomacy should not be played with People’s lives.
Her letter reads:
OPEN LETTER TO ONDO STATE GOVERNOR, ARAKUNRIN ROTIMI AKEREDOLU ON THE KILLINGS OF ONDO STATE INDIGENES IN PLATEAU STATE.
Your Excellency,
Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu SAN,
Governor’s Office,
Alagbaka, Akure,
Ondo State.
My Dear Brother,
Even though I’m not comfortable with the current situation of things in the entire Southwest, you still rose to become one of my favourites Governors in Yorubaland mainly because of your stern decisions against the murderous herdsmen ravaging our lands and forests. You took a bold step and stood to be counted. Again, on the creation of the Southwest neighbourhood security network tagged ‘Amotekun’, you made stance known even when your contemporaries were afraid to offend the Fulani-led Federal Government. In these areas, I scored you high.
However, your response and reactions to the recent Plateau tragedy where some travelling indigenes of Ondo State were ambushed and killed are not good enough. Your Press Statement offends the emotions of the grieving families and betrays the trust that Ondo people reposed in you.
In my humble opinion, the killers simply carried out the killings of our people because of a ban from open grazing and you tagged the killings ‘Mistaken Identity. Your Excellency, what exactly do you mean by ‘Mistaken Identity?’. Do you mean some people deserves to be targeted and killed? Your statement is not good enough. We cannot play diplomacy with people’s lives.
It’s a known fact that if your neighbour hit your child and you kept mute, undoubtedly you should expect more from such neighbour.
It would be recalled that sometimes ago, about 10 Akungba people who visited Plateau State for a wedding ceremony were killed in a cold blood and Plateau State Government never visited or compensated their families.
The only justice you could do to our people is to intensity effort to ensure the culprits are apprehended and brought to justice by your colleague, the governor of Plateau State. Only then our people will take you seriously and accept that their lives matter to you.
Ondo oni baje o!
– HH TINUADE MABEL ONANEYE
The Erelu-Oodua of Aye Kingdom (Ondo State)
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