The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, explained on Monday why the Northern traditional rulers did not make public pronouncements on the March 8 violent clash between Ife indigenes and Hausa/Fulani settlers.
He said the emirs were satisfied with the early response of Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, to the crisis and his maturity in curtailing it.
Sanusi spoke while presenting the cheque of N50 million donated by Aliko Dangote Foundation to 220 victims of the clash.
The presentation took place at the Ooni’s palace in Ife.
According to him, the swift response of the Ooni and his maturity in handling the matter was commendable.
The Emir said there was no need to make statements on the incident since the Ooni had intervened in the matter.
He said: “We have been asked by several people why we have not made public statement about Ife crisis. I was in Hong Kong and Sultan of Sokoto was in the United Kingdom. But Ooni informed us about it and how he had contacted the police and number of people arrested.
“We are both convinced that as a monarch and father, Ooni had done what ought to have been done and that is why we did not make any statement so as to avoid making the issue volatile. The Ooni met me in the UK and we rode in the same car to my daughter’s graduation ceremony. We spent almost two hours during which he gave full details of what happened.
“I was here some few weeks ago to see the Hausas, who were affected by the crisis. I felt that we should do something to assist the people. I called Aliko Dangote even I feel guilty for calling him all the time there was crisis. So when I came and saw the number of shops burnt and I called Aliko Dangote. The manner he responded to humanitarian crisis was impressive. There are many wealthy Nigerians and we should remember that our wealth given to us by God in trust.”
In his response, the Ooni urged the government to explore collaboration between the monarchs and the private sector to foster socio-economic development and communal peace in Nigeria.
An Osun State High Court has granted bail to a traditional ruler in the state, Oba Ademola Ademiluyi, a cleric, Pastor Taiwo Fakowajo and four other suspects arrested in connection with the March 8 clash between Hausa settlers and Yoruba in Ile-Ife.
The suspects, who had been in prison since April 28, were granted bail on Friday.
The presiding judge, Justice Kudirat Akano, granted the suspects bail in the sum of N5 million each.
They are also expected to provide a surety who must be a level 14 public officer or a monarch with valid tax clearance.
The arraignment of suspects arrested by the police following the bloody clash between Hausa settlers and Ife indigenes in Osun State has been postponed for the second time.
It was postponed to today.
The arraignment was first postponed from Tuesday till yesterday because the consent of the court was not taken before the suspects were brought to the court.
The prosecuting counsel from the Office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Simon Lough, said the postponement was the decision of the court.
But defence counsel Muritala Agboola said the postponement was due to procedural error on the part of the prosecution.
According to him, the suspects were served with their charges only yesterday.
He added that the consent of the court was not taken, prompting the initial delay.
Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi has warned against politicising the clash between Ife indigenes and Hausa in the town.
Oba Ogunwusi gave the warning yesterday while receiving leaders of the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere.
The monarch said the crisis might have an ethnic outlook, mainataining that it must not be turned into an avenue to gain cheap popularity and influence.
According to the traditional ruler, Afenifere’s efforts on the issue is commendable but should be pursued with care.
He said: “The efforts of the Afenifere on the treatment of the Yoruba is commendable. However, we should not be too reactionary on this matter so as not to cause more harm.
“My people, how many times have the people of Sabo received politicians who came to greet them ? But when there is crisis, you have them all around.
“So, I will want us to be careful and not let them play politics with this issue. Please, let us remain peaceful and let the brotherly love continue.
“The unity of this nation is very important and we must all defend it. We must all ensure peaceful co-existence. We all should persevere and realise that people of various tribes live in other parts of the country. It is patience that we need to get this case resolved.
The leader of the Afenifere group, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, described the incident as “unfortunate”.
Adebanjo, who bemoaned the “one sided” arrests by the police, called on the authorities not to hide the truth.
“The mode of arrest is partisan, we want true justice and thorough investigation on the crisis. We are not happy with the crisis.
“The reason for the clash is still surprising because for over 40 years that Yoruba and Hausa have been co-habiting, there has been no record of violence.
“The police are to be blamed for this crisis. They caused the crisis. They arrested only Yoruba. It points to the fact that the arrest was pre-planned.
“What Afenifere is saying again is that the arrest is one-sided. Some of the people who died in the clash are Yoruba and their houses torched. Nonetheless, we are here to sympathise with both the Yoruba and Hausa,” he said.
The Afenifere leaders later moved to the Ife City Hall to address the people before visiting the scene of the incident.
Dignitaries who accompanied Adebanjo include Chief Olu Falae, Yinka Odumakin, and former Osun State Deputy Governor Iyiola Omisore.
Former Governor of Kano state and Senator representing Kano Central district, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso; and the Seriki Hausa Community in Ife on Tuesday said reports of the evacuation of Hausa men from Ile Ife after last week’s clash are targeted at further escalating a breach that has already been quenched.
Both Kwankwaso and the Governor of Osun Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola cautioned the media against reports that could jeopardise the peace of the country.
Kwankwaso described as mere rumours report that Hausa people in Ife have been migrating from the state up North.
He said commentators should be careful with reports on both the conventional and social media so as not spark another trend of a crisis in other parts of the country.
The senator stated this during a condolence visit he paid to Governor of Osun at the government house Osogbo.
Senator Kwankwaso who stressed that the kind of reports being disseminated by the media may aggravate the crisis commended the efforts of the Osun Governor in arresting the ugly incident.
“I want to appeal to our media men and women to be mindful of how they report the crisis so that it won’t lead to a reprisal attack in other parts of the country.
“We should be mindful of what we write and use on our conventional media and the social media as well, we need some sense of responsibility from our media houses.
[quote]”We are not saying you should not do your job, but you should know that you also have a responsibility of maintaining peace in our society,” – Kwankwaso [/quote]
Senator Kwankwaso
He pointed out that as soon as he got wind of the crisis he put a call through to Aregbesola and the peace moves taken by the governor has been corroborated by the Arewa community in Ife.
While urging members of the Hausa community in Ife and other parts of Osun to allow peace to reign, Senator Kwankwaso said they should be reminded that wherever they live is their home and everything possible must be done to embrace peace.
The senator who thanked the state government of Osun and the National Emergency Management Agency of Nigeria (NEMA) for trying to make life bearable for those affected through the provision of relief materials promised that his foundation will follow suit as soon as possible.
According to him, “As soon as I got to know about the crisis, I put a call through to my brother, Ogbeni Aregbesola who promised me on the phone that he was already on top of the situation.
“I am happy that when I got here, members of the Arewa community corroborated what he told me on efforts at ensuring the safety of my people.
“I am using this opportunity to appeal to the Hausa community in Ife and around Osun to embrace peace and continue to live together in unity with their Yoruba hosts.
“Wherever you find yourself is your home and you should ensure it is peaceful.
“I thank the governor and NEMA for providing relief materials to those affected and I also promise to bring more through my foundation,” the Senator said.
On the entourage of the Senator are members of national Assembly and leaders of the Arewa community in Osun.
Meanwhile, Senator Kwankwaso was accompanied by Governor Aregbesola to the scene of the crisis in Ile-Ife for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.
Aregbesola also disclosed that more than twenty people who were said to have participated in the crisis have been arrested and will be made to face the law.
He said that what happened was just accidental as people of Osun are peace loving and accommodating.
He noted that Yoruba people may fight one another but they are always protective of and friendly with their visitors. He buttressed his point with the Ife/Modakeke crisis which he said never touched the Hausa community.
According to him Yoruba and Hausa did not engage in any fight but the crisis was caused by miscreants from both sides of the divide.
“What caused the crisis was a minor disagreement. We are afraid that those who want to cause chaos in the country might be behind this crisis
“Yoruba may fight one another but they will not fight with their visitors. We are very peaceful and if you look around you will find out that enemies of peace are at work and they are few.
“And we don’t know what their aim or interest was in causing this crisis. Perhaps they were sponsored because I have never heard that Yoruba and Hausa fought each other in Ife before but there might be misunderstanding and it would not be more than that.
“God has created and put us together in Nigeria. We must, therefore, live together in harmony. We should not allow agent of division to cause disaffection among us,” Aregbesola said
Aregbesola also commended all security agencies for their swift response to a distress call.
He averred that but for the quick response of security agencies the crisis would have snowballed into terrible level better imagined.
No fewer than three people were reportedly killed in Ile-Ife, Osun State, yesterday, following violent clashes that greeted the released results of the House of Assembly poll.
It was gathered that supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) engaged each other in the clash in several Ife neighbourhoods.
However, the identities of the deceased could not be confirmed at the time of filing the report but unconfirmed reports said two people were killed in Gbodo Area of the ancient town.
The two victims of Gbodo clash were said to be siblings of a notable politician in the area, whose house was also razed during the crises.
Investigation revealed that the clash, which started in the downtown spread to Enuwa, not far from the Ooni’s Palace.
It was further gathered that dangerous weapons, including cutlasses and charms were freely used by the hoodlums.
Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, was said to have summoned leaders of the two political parties to plead with them to allow peace in the town.
Police authorities could not comment on the incident as mobile phone of the police spokesperson, Folasade Odoro, was not reachable.
