The Yoruba Islamic Salvation Front, (YOISAF) on Tuesday said the Yoruba faces existential threat and only a unity of purpose can safe the South West from violent overrun by Jihadists. YOISAF said Sharia in Yorubaland will be resisted by ‘all means possible’ adding that the 12 states where Sharia has been introduced in the North are currently ravaged with terrorism, rape of Muslim women, poverty and out of school children.It said Sharia is only meaningful in countries with dominant Muslim population. It said those promoting Sharia in Yorubaland are the same people supporting terrorism in Nigeria.
The group urges the people of the South West to bear in mind how and why Ilorin was lost to the Fulani.
‘We are first and foremost Yoruba people. Islam, Christianity came later more than 2000 years after our ancestors had lived on this planet. The Yoruba have the best ethical religious relationship in the world with Imams being invited to speak in Churches and Pastors visiting the Mosque to preach. This is the civilisation we treasure and wish to preserve with the last pint of our blood,’ the group in a statement signed by its President, Jubril Adio and Kadri Olowogbowo said.
The group recalled that Alimi, the Fulani Muslim visited Ilorin to recruit fighters and Jihadists. The first thing he did was to encourage the conversion of Yoruba people into Islam. Eventually, his target was to kill the same Yoruba Muslims that had helped him to stabilise.
‘More than 200 years later, the Fulani are doing the same thing. Unfortunately, corrupt, self-serving and blood-thirsty, unGodly people who claim to be Muslim leaders. These are people who feed on the crumbs from the Fulani table.” It said the Fulani and Boko Haram terrorists have the agenda to bring down democracy and cause war pushing Nigeria to the path of Rwanda or Syria
The group warn Alfas and so called Muslim leaders supporting Fulani incursion into Yorubaland saying that many of them will not live to tell the story.
‘There is anger in the land among Yoruba Muslims. We cannot watch Muslims and Christians being killed. We cannot even stand our Christian and Isese brothers being killed. Islam opposes shedding of blood of non Muslims. The world has transformed and we cannot live by the standards of a thousand years ago,’ the group said.
YOISAF said ‘We call for knowledge, wisdom and understanding.The Fulani and Boko Haram terrorists have invaded out ancestral land. We should learn from Prophet Muhammad (SAW) who said Mecca, his birth place is the most beloved place to Allah where he forbade violence, cutting of trees, hunting. While he fought many enemies, in his hometown, after the conquest, he granted general Amnesty to his former prosecutors from his birthplace, telling them ‘There is no blame upon you today.Allah will forgive you.’
The group said it is common Hadith saying that Muhammad (SAW) said ‘Allah has made Mecca a sanctuary since the day he created the heavens and the earth…its game should not be chased, nor should its trees be cut, nor its vegetation or grass uprooted.’
The group said Yorubaland is the Mecca of all Yoruba and Itsekiri people all over the world adding that the heritage of Yoruba should be protected from the plot of Fulani destruction.
‘We have launched mass mobilisation of members across Yorubaland.
The responses have been overwhelming. We are actually shocked about the monumental support in the Muslim community. The ordinary Yoruba Muslim is very wise and more intelligent than crooks and irresponsible Alfas who are bent on destroying Yorubaland for personal gains.
National President
Jubril Adio
President
Quadri Olowogbowo
General Secretary
