Frequently Asked Questions | Think Yoruba First

Frequently Asked Questions

WHO ARE THE YORUBA?

Yoruba is an ethnic group or nationality with many subgroups or dialects e.g Ekiti, Oyo, Ife, Ijebu, Ondo, etc. they are indigenous in Nigeria (SW, Middle-Belt parts of Nigeria), some parts of Benin Republic, and Togo. They can be found around the world as immigrants or first diasporans due to the trans-atlantic slave trade such as Brazil, Cuba, Sierra Leone, etc.

WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR CLAMOUR FOR SOVEREIGN YORUBA STATE(NATION)?

There are 1,001 reasons for self determination of the Yoruba People for Sovereignty, some of which shall be summarized below; Self-preservation Self-governance Determination of our future Glory of Africa (ogo adulawo) Civilization and Nation building Decolonization of Africa and undoing 1884/5 berlin conference for scramble for Africa Amongst others.

THE YORUBA SUBGROUPS E.G IJEBU, IFE, OYO, EKITI, ETC RIVALRIES, INTERNECINE WAR, CALLED KIRIJI WAR OR EKITI-PARAPO WAR BETWEEN 1877-1893(16 YEARS) REOCCURENCE IN THE SOVEREIGN YORUBA NATION?

We must first understand what happened then, and what are those events that led to such war in the Yoruba country.

Yoruba country has many sub-groups in a confederation system with many city states which were semi-autonomous and in some cases completely independent, the war took place due to break down of law and order and challenge to destroy confederal nature of Yoruba people, refugee crises due to invasion by Fulani expansionists and Jihadists, European contact and weak pan-yoruba identity. In order to avert reoccurrence of such war, the proposed Yoruba nation is suggested to be confederation system which are respective semi-autonomous provinces of each sub-group e.g., Ekiti Province for Ekiti etc.

HOW DO YOU ACHIEVE SELF-DETERMINATION AND SOVEREINGTY OF YORUBA NATION?

Although, there are no specific guides or manuals for achieving self-determination and sovereignty. The Yoruba people shall use all their resources in achieving it in no far time. Self-awareness, mental reorientation, reawakening, and grassroots awareness of over 60M Yoruba people, international and local diplomacy, advocacy, lobbying, petitions, education, etc are all efforts. The power belongs to the people and the people give sovereignty, the power of the people must be activated and cleared off ignorance.

WHAT IS THE MAP OF THE PROPOSED SOVEREIGN YORUBA NATION AND LANDMASS?

It should first be noted that Yoruba ethnic group are indigenous to not only Nigeria but the Benin Republic and Togo as a result of the 1884/5 berlin conference in scrapple for Africa but, the proposed Yoruba Nation (state) is focused in Nigeria and therefore the map is shown below depicts that;

CAN FEDERAL ASSETS AND LIABILITIES EVER BE SHARED PEACEFULLY , EQUITABLY AND WITHOUT RANCOUR IN THE COURSE OF ACTUALIZATION OF YORUBA NATION?

These shall be done through negotiation, round table, and agreement and shall be shared with equity (not equality) depending on the assets and liabilities owned by the Federal Government alone and not even nationalized assets that were done by the regional governments in the first republic, liabilities shall be shared based on locations and worth.

WHAT ARE THE RESOURCES OF THE YORUBA LAND(NATION) HAS?

Natural and Mineral Resources:

Gold, Bauxite, Tantalite, Aqua-marine, Dolomite, Iron, Columbite, Phosphorus, Bitumen, Lead, Kaolin, Gypsum, Coal, Clay, Crude Oil, Gas, Zinc, Marble, Quartz, Feldspar, Gemstone, Glass Sand, Granite, Limestone , Sea, Arable and Fertile Soil, Rocks, Tropical and Savanna Rainforest, Timber, Palm Oil Etc.

Human Resources:

Population – More than 60M in Nigeria and about 200M worldwide e.g Brazil, Cuba, Togo etc.
Regarded as highest educated in Africa and Literacy level.
Has some of Africa richest people.
Prominence in many fields of specialization e.g Medicine, Engineering, Politics, Law etc in the world.

ARE THERE ECONOMIC BLUEPRINT OR MASS INDUSTRIALIZATION AGENDAS OF THE PROPOSED SOVEREIGN NATION?

There are a lot of experts in many fields of studies or specializations, academics, etc who are already making blueprints and even periodic masterplans and are ready to work assiduously.

WILL THE YORUBA SUB-GROUPS NOT REVOLVE INTO NEW COMPETING, ANTAGONISTIC, PSEUDO-NATIONALITIES AT EACH OTHER WHEN TRADITIONAL HAUSA/IGBO ETC RIVALRIES ARE NO MORE?

The new country is proposed to be a confederation with these sub-groups in their respective semi-autonomous province(not lumped together) in a federal structure without any hegemony. It must be noted that they have same or similar culture, customs, system of government, mythology, heritage etc.

WHAT ABOUT PAN-AFRICANISM AND EFFECTS OF SOVEREIGN YORUBA NATION TO AFRICAN UNITY?

Self-determination of Yoruba and independence do not negate or adversely pan-Africanism and African unity. The new country is not isolated from Africa or the world; she shall trade, partner, and promote African interests on the global stage.

WHAT IS THE PRESENT GDP OF YORUBALAND(SW) IN NIGERIA AND POSITION IN AFRICA IF SOVEREIGN AS NIGERIA HAS THE HIGHEST GDP IN AFRICA AT THE MOMENT?

South-West Nigeria (excluding Kwara and some parts of Kogi states) contributes the highest revenue to the Nigerian economy, about 50% in tax revenue, Oil(little), custom duties, FIRS, VAT etc. The South-West, one of the six(6) geo-political regions of Nigeria which is Six Yoruba states excluding Kwara and parts of Kogi states has estimated GDP of about #67 Trillion(about $305B) more than half of GDP of Nigeria and could be third largest economy in Africa if Sovereign but improved GDP per capita. But efforts will be made to improve the economy to become one of the 10^th in the world.

WHY NOT RESTRUCTURING/REGIONALISM/TRUE FEDERALISM?

First, the 1999 constitution is a fraud. It should be jettisoned and the indigenous peoples of Nigeria should have a referendum to determine their nationhood. If they vote to remain as one, a plebiscite should be conducted and the people-oriented constitution should be enacted. Nigeria is ‘negotiable’ and not God-ordained but a product of slavery, the 1884/5 Berlin Conference, “scramble for Africa,” British imperialism, colonization, and illegal 1914 amalgamation (declaration).

Restructuring is not a panacea, regional governments of the 50s and 60s were Restructuring that was a failure and destroyed.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE ISSUE OF INTER-MARRIAGES BETWEEN AND OTHER ETHNIC NATIONALITIES?

There should be dual citizenship and indigenization, citizenship laws, and others deliberated upon by the people and government of the country.

COUNTRIES THAT HAVE SUCCESSFULLY BROKEN UP?

Country	Admitted to UN	Formation	2022 Population
South Sudan	2011	split from Sudan	11,618,511
Montenegro	2006	seceded from Yugoslavia, later split from Serbia and Montenegro	627,950
Serbia	2000	seceded from Yugoslavia, later split from Serbia and Montenegro	8,653,016
Palau	1994	graduated from U.N. trust	18,233
North Macedonia	1993	seceded from Yugoslavia	2,081,304
Eritrea	1993	split from Ethiopia	3,662,244
Slovakia	1993	split from Czechoslovakia	5,460,193
Czech Republic	1993	split from Czechoslovakia	10,736,784
Slovenia	1992	seceded from Yugoslavia	2,078,034
Armenia	1992	seceded from U.S.S.R.	2,971,966
Bosnia And Herzegovina	1992	seceded from Yugoslavia	3,249,317
Georgia	1992	seceded from U.S.S.R.	3,968,738
Moldova	1992	seceded from U.S.S.R.	4,013,171
Croatia	1992	seceded from Yugoslavia	4,059,286
Turkmenistan	1992	seceded from U.S.S.R.	6,201,943
Kyrgyzstan	1992	seceded from U.S.S.R.	6,728,271
Tajikistan	1992	seceded from U.S.S.R.	9,957,464
Azerbaijan	1992	seceded from U.S.S.R.	10,300,205
Kazakhstan	1992	seceded from U.S.S.R.	19,205,043
Uzbekistan	1992	seceded from U.S.S.R.	34,382,084
Marshall Islands	1991	fostered by United States	60,057
Micronesia	1991	graduated from U.N. trust	117,489
Estonia	1991	seceded from U.S.S.R.	1,321,910
Latvia	1991	seceded from U.S.S.R.	1,848,837
Lithuania	1991	seceded from U.S.S.R.	2,661,708
Belarus	1991	seceded from U.S.S.R.	9,432,800
Russia	1991	remainder of U.S.S.R.	145,805,947
Namibia	1990	rebelled against South Africa	2,633,874
Yemen	1990	merged Yemen Arab Republic & South Yemen	31,154,867
Germany	1990	merged East & West Germany	83,883,596
Ukraine	1945	seceded from U.S.S.R.	43,192,122

IS THE SOVEREIGN YORUBA NATION GOING TO BE ISOLATED COUNTRY?

There should be immigration laws, citizenship, and other immigration services open to the world in the interest of the country.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE BUSINESSES AND INVESTMENTS BY OTHER ETHNIC NATIONALITIES IN YORUBA-LAND?

They should have their businesses and investments intact and abide by the new laws, get citizenship and pay tax.

WOULDN’T NIGERIA ATTITUDES OR NEO-NIGERIAN ATTITUDES GET INTO THE NEW COUNTRY?

No, there shall be mandatory national reorientation policy and program, new laws and constitution, new systems and realities, and new conditions just like a microbe exposed to different environmental conditions and systems behave differently or exhibit different features, same for humans, as we are social beings who blend with the conditions and societies in which we find ourselves.

WHAT SHALL BE THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF SOVEREIGN YORUBA NATION?

Our language, Yoruba, shall be the language of education, administration, politics, and business etc. For globalization purposes, English may be a second language.

HOW CAN NEW YORUBA SERVE THE INTEREST OF AFRICA-AMERICANS, YORUBA IN BRAZIL, CUBA ETC?

The Sovereign Yoruba Nation shall promote their interests on the world stage, provide for them an original homeland in Africa, business partnerships, intellectual exchanges, heritage, and tourist centers, e.g., ILE-IFE, obtaining religious status, or destinations like Jerusalem and Mecca for Yoruba spirituality practitioners.

WHAT IS THE PROPOSED SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT?

Parliamentary with a modernized indigenous Yoruba system of government, which is Yoruba centered and based on Yoruba core values, philosophy, history, epistemology, mythology, literature, knowledge system, world view, nature, and culture.