Northern socio-political commentator, Mahdi Shehu, asserted that the Yoruba people’s demand for a separate nation falls within their legitimate rights as guaranteed by the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Shehu made this statement on X on Tuesday, noting that the Yoruba have maintained an “unbroken and continuous demand to go their separate way” since the era of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
He argued that no one should condemn the agitation, suggesting that other regions are free to pursue similar steps. He stated that Article 20 of the African Charter grants all peoples the “inalienable right to self-determination,” a right he defined as fixed and unquestionable.
Shehu suggested that the Yoruba’s current approach to self-determination seems focused on negotiation rather than violence, largely because “Bola is in charge” (referencing President Bola Tinubu). He claimed the Yoruba now possess significant “political and economic powers.”
He concluded that should the Yoruba succeed in their demand, they will have everything they need.
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