Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, the Oluwo of Iwo, says his tribe, the Yoruba, will lose more should there be outbreak of war in the country.
The monarch made the claim in a Friday statement wherein he admonished citizens of the South-West to stop the tribal war against the Fulanis in the region.
He said the lifestyle of the Fulanis puts them in the advantage should there be warfare as most of their belongings are movable unlike landed properties of Southerners in the Northern region.
He also condemned the criminal activities of problematic herders, urging them to value human lives.
“The lingering Yoruba-Fulani saga is a fragile issue that demands a witty, technical approach. No doubt, the activities such as killing, kidnapping, raping perpetrated by the bad eggs among the Fulanis are condemnable,” the traditional ruler said.
“As a people, we must understand who to fight. I see Fulani as a section of the Hausas. And most Fulanis are not stationed in their origin. They have relocated and settled.
“Their most valued item is cows. Most of their properties are movable. Is this who we want to declare war against?”
“Declaring war against the Fulanis will be derogatorily translated to war against the Hausas. Fulanis are just a section of the Hausas. What will be the fate of billions of investments and properties of the Yorubas in the northern States?
“If their cows could be moved, how will our innocent sons and daughters in the northern states move their investments and properties? I see Yoruba losing more should there be war.
“I’m appealing to all and sundry to dignify human lives and toe the path of honour in sustaining a peaceful co-existence. War is an enemy of humanity. What war can do, peace can do better,” he added
