The Yoruba Nation Youth group, both in Nigeria and the diaspora, has vehemently rejected a proposed constitutional amendment which seeks to grant indigene status to individuals who have resided in a state for ten years or are married to a native.
LAGOS – The Yoruba Nation Youth group, representing both Nigerian and diaspora members, has rejected a constitutional amendment proposal by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu that seeks to grant indigene rights to non-natives after ten years of residency or through marriage.
In a joint statement by Prophet Ayodele Ologunloluwa (Diaspora Leader) and Comrade Oyegunle Omotoyole (Homebase Leader), the group condemned the bill as an “anti-Yoruba initiative” and accused its backers of “ethnic expansionism,” particularly targeting Lagos, Kwara, and Kogi.
“Allowing this bill to be tabled has already ignited dangerous social divisions,” the statement read, warning it threatens Nigeria’s federal structure and inter-ethnic peace. The group alleged the bill aims to dilute Yoruba identity and influence, driven by “Igbo and Fulani elements.”
They urged Southwest lawmakers to reject the proposal, cautioning that granting voting rights to non-indigenes could trigger “demographic shifts and violence.” The youth leaders reiterated their push for Yoruba self-determination, citing Nigeria’s “democracy deficit.”
The group also criticized the Sultan of Sokoto’s recent remarks comparing social media to terrorism, calling it hypocritical amid herdsmen-related violence. “No group has brought more suffering than the Fulani,” they asserted, vowing to resist cultural suppression.
The bill’s proponents argue it promotes national unity, but opponents fear it could destabilize regional politics.