Saheed Ibile Calls for Caution over Ife/Hausa Crisis

**Blasts Ooni of Ife

By Dipo Olowookere

A frontline Lagos socialite, Alhaji Audullah Saheed Mosadoluwa, otherwise known as Saheed Ibile, has urged the media, security operatives and every Nigerians to be careful of how they handle the recent violent clash that broke out in Ile-Ife, Osun State, between the Yorubas and Hausas.

Mr Ibile, speaking through his media aide, appealed to every aggrieved party to “sheath their sword and desist from inimical activities” that could bring disrepute to Ile-Ife, the origin of the Yorubas.

The philanthropist, who celebrates his birthday today, Wednesday, April 05, 2017, warned the Nigeria Police to desist from “media trial” of some indigenes of the town because it “looks like height of affront and assault to the collective integrity and value of the Yoruba people.”

He said “as the face of Ibile Peaceful Assembly, I am to awaken the spirit of our front-liners in the Yoruba kingdom” and all Nigerians must “condemn the ugly ethnic clash.”

Mr Ibile stated further that, “Ibile Policy has prepared a memo in form of a Bill to checkmate ethnic boundaries in the Yoruba nation.

“Yoruba people are too accommodating and have failed to implement ethnic boundaries laws. Those who called for the government agencies to deal with this issue are anti-action, pro-introspection; because eventually, all this introspection eats away their very soul.”

The Lagos socialite expressed angered over the role played by some traditional rulers after the crisis.

“Why do we have traditional rulers? Where are the likes of Ooni of Ife and Emir Sabo in Ife? They care less because the conflict did not happen where they have interest in,” he said.

He also said he was not impressed with the explanation given by the Nigeria Police over the “arrest and dehumanizing of those paraded” as perpetrators of the clash.

Meanwhile, Mr Ibile has urged the Yorubas not to join those calling for regional autonomy “because they are still the set of people that sell us out for their foster interest and I pledge to lead the calls for internal autonomy.