The Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, on Sunday criticized the Federal Government for announcing the establishment of nomadic radio, being perceived in some quarters as frequency for the Fulani.
Afenifere’s spokesperson, Yinka Odumakin, in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST, said the action was a danger signal to all Nigerians, starting from other nationalities in the North.
Recall that the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, had said the Federal Government had acquired an Amplitude Modulation broadcast radio licence to cater for normads as part of efforts to end perennial farmers-herders’ clashes.
However, Odumakin stated that such establishment could lead to genocide, and recalled how radio was used to promote genocide in Rwanda that led to the loss of thousands of lives.
According to Odumakin: “It’s the highest form of impunity, in your face assault and it’s a yellow card to other nationalities in Nigeria by the Federal Government to say that look the final hour is approaching.
“When the federal government of Nigeria acquire a licence to promote a language Fulani that is not an official language in Nigeria, know that there is trouble.
“The constitution of Nigeria says that the activities of the National Assembly can be conducted in English, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, now Fulfude is a language spoken by a minority in the North and most Northerners don’t understand the language so when Federal government establish a Radio to promote such language which has been alleged as to be those who want to Fulanize West Africa then there is problem.
“With the provision of federal character in Federal Government establishment, will Fulani employ Igbo and Yoruba and other tribes not Fulfude?
“We are worried because this was how Radio Rwanda was used to promote hate speech against the Tutsy and at that time, the then President of Rwanda and his wife setup a radio to speak only to hutus on where the Tutsies can be located and attacked and this led to so many lives being lost.
“This action is a danger signal to other nationalities in Nigeria and that was why it was recently asked if we are dealing with the Fulani Republic of Nigeria instead of Federal Government of Nigeria?”
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