By HeadlineNews.News Editorial Board
Ogun State | June 30, 2025
A once peaceful Yorùbá village, Okemeji near Odeda in Ogun State, was turned into a ghost settlement on Sunday following a brutal and coordinated attack reportedly carried out by suspected armed Fulani herdsmen. The attack, according to eyewitnesses, left the village in ruins—houses razed, farmlands destroyed, and residents displaced. A chilling video circulating online shows abandoned churches, scorched homes, and eerie silence—evidence of a community violently silenced.
This latest tragedy has once again ignited deep-seated fears among Yorùbá communities that the Nigerian state is failing to protect its indigenous people. More significantly, it has revived calls for regional self-determination, as leaders and grassroots voices ask: Can the Yorùbá people truly be safe within one Nigeria?
The Okemeji Attack: A Pattern, Not an Isolated Event
According to local sources and community leaders, the attackers stormed Okemeji in the early hours of Sunday, targeting churches, homes, and farms. Women and children fled into the bush. By daybreak, dozens of families were unaccounted for, and the village had been reduced to rubble.
This is not the first attack in Yorùbáland attributed to violent herdsmen or criminal syndicates suspected to have Fulani links:
Igangan, Oyo State (June 2021): Armed herdsmen killed over 11 people and burned the palace of the Asigangan of Igangan.
Ago Iwoye & Yewa North, Ogun State (2021–2022): Repeated clashes between local farmers and Fulani cattle rearers led to deaths and displacement.
Ondo State (2022): Governor Rotimi Akeredolu accused federal security agencies of enabling open grazing despite a ban.
The attack on Okemeji is a continuation of this tragic trend.
Historical Perspective: From Federal Unity to Yorùbá Vulnerability
Since the amalgamation of 1914, Nigeria’s federal experiment has struggled with the balance between national unity and regional autonomy. For the Yorùbá people, whose civilization predates the Nigerian state by centuries, there is a growing sentiment that their security, economy, culture, and future are now being threatened under the current structure.
The once-celebrated idea of “One Nigeria” is increasingly being questioned as unprovoked attacks like the one in Okemeji reveal:
A failure of central policing to respond rapidly or prevent such attacks.
A lack of prosecution or justice for past aggressors.
A persistent imbalance in federal appointments and military command structure, tilted in favor of the North.
The Inadequacy of Token Reforms
While initiatives such as state police, restructuring, and tax reform are being promoted as solutions to Nigeria’s dysfunction, many Yorùbá intellectuals argue that these are cosmetic fixes in the face of existential threats.
- State police is still at the proposal stage with no implementation date.
- New states won’t shield villages like Okemeji from ethnic violence.
- Tax reform doesn’t heal the scars of people who have lost their ancestral homes.
“How do you speak of economic reform to a people who have lost their land and their lives?” asks Professor Seyi Adebanjo of the Yoruba Renaissance Institute. “No economy thrives where there’s no security. No reform is meaningful where there’s no justice.”
Rising Voices for Yorùbá Sovereignty
In the aftermath of Okemeji, more Yorùbá voices are asking whether a sovereign Yorùbá nation is the only viable path forward:
Groups like the Yoruba Nation Movement, Omo Oduduwa Alliance, and the Yoruba People’s Development Council (YPDC) have long advocated for a peaceful separation from the Nigerian federation.
In 2022, over 5 million signatures were gathered across Yorùbá states in support of a referendum for regional autonomy.
The Amotekun Corps, launched by South West Governors in 2020, was a bold step, but limited in power and arms due to constitutional constraints.
The federal government’s refusal to grant full autonomy or security control to regions like the South West is seen by many as a deliberate design to keep Yorùbáland defenseless.
The Road Ahead: What the Yorùbá Must Do
Demand for Regional Security Autonomy: Insist on constitutional amendments to fully empower Amotekun and other local forces.
Document Every Atrocity: The Okemeji video must be sent to the UN, AU, and ECOWAS as part of a broader case for self-determination.
Invest in Cultural and Political Awareness: Mobilize traditional rulers, intellectuals, and civil society to articulate a clear roadmap to sovereignty if the attacks persist.
Prepare for Political Negotiation or Exit: If the federal government fails to act decisively, the Yorùbá people must consider their options—including a referendum.
Conclusion: Okemeji Must Not Be Forgotten
Okemeji is not just a village—it is a symbol of the silent war being waged against indigenous communities under a federation that has failed to protect them. The ashes of Okemeji must awaken the Yorùbá consciousness that survival is not guaranteed by slogans, but by structure, sovereignty, and security.
If “One Nigeria” cannot guarantee peace, perhaps it is time to redefine the union—or leave it entirely.
Ifakunle Orisabunmi
Omo Oduduwa Alliance
© 2025 HeadlineNews.News
Accompanying video evidence of the Okemeji attack available via official Headlinenews.news YouTube and social media channels.
For full report visit: www.headlinenews.news.
Okemeji Attack: A Wake-Up Call for Yorùbá Survival
By HeadlineNews.News
A deadly attack on Okemeji village near Odeda in Ogun State on Sunday has once again exposed the vulnerability of Yorùbá communities under the current Nigerian federation. Eyewitnesses say suspected Fulani herdsmen invaded the village, burning homes, churches, and displacing families—turning the once-thriving village into a ghost town.
Video footage shows empty pews, scorched buildings, and terrified residents in hiding—an all-too-familiar scene across Yorùbáland in recent years.
This is not an isolated event. Similar attacks in Igangan, Yewa, and Oyo have become common, with no justice, no protection, and no meaningful response from federal authorities.
While some leaders preach state police and restructuring, others are asking harder questions: Can the Yorùbá people truly be safe inside Nigeria?
Groups pushing for a Yorùbá sovereign nation argue that these killings—and the federal government’s silence—prove that reforms are not enough. They call for stronger local security, documentation of atrocities, and political preparation for self-determination if nothing changes.
Okemeji may be a small village, but its fall is a loud warning. If “One Nigeria” can’t protect Yorùbá lives and land, then it may be time to reconsider the union.
© 2025 HeadlineNews.News
Watch the full video of the Okemeji attack on our platforms. For more reports, visit www.headlinenews.news
