Why i was silent on Ile-Ife crisis – Emir Sanusi opens up

 The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has explained why he was silence on the Yoruba-Hausa crisis that rocked Ile-Ife in Osun State recently where 46 people were confirmed dead and 96 other injured.

While Speaking on Wednesday during a visit to the scene of the March 8 clash in Sabo area of Ile-Ife, Sanusi said he and the Sultan opted not to speak on the issue because Oba Ogunwusi’s response and actions to the crisis were sufficient.

He lauded the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, for the fatherly role he played during fight, by taking responsibility for the protection of his subjects irrespective of their tribes and religion .

He said: “My visit here today is a happy and sad one. It is a happy one because it is an opportunity for me to come and formally congratulate you on your enthronement and it is a sad one because it is in connection with the sad incident that occurred at Ile-Ife recently.

“I know many people from the North have been complaining that I have been quiet on this matter. Let me say that the moment this sad incident happened, His Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, reached out to me and sultan; both of us have reached out to the Ooni a number of times and we are satisfied with the fatherly way he has, so far, responded to the crisis.

“We see the role he played as a confirmation that he is truly the father of all in Yoruba land, irrespective of tribes and religion, and we felt that so long the Ooni was doing everything humanly possible to stabilise the situation, there was no need for anyone of us to make any statement that could worsen the situation.

“Let me also add that I was to be here with the sultan but he travelled and he has asked me to represent him and all the northern traditional rulers.

“You (the Ooni) showed, indeed, that everyone in Ife is your subject, which is the way it should be.

“The family we come from and the institution we represent are institutions that take responsibility for protecting the lives, property and dignity of our people living within their jurisdiction, irrespective of where they are from. We thank you for playing that role.”

Sanusi equally applauded the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, who has now set up a commission of inquiry to look into the cause of the crisis and recommend how to avoid a recurrence.