13/07/2026
‘WHO MADE AREWA SUPERIOR?’ - Yoruba Youth Leader Blasts Gumi Over ‘More Civilised’ Remark, Demands Arrest
…Says Yoruba Civilisation Predates Nigeria, Calls for Probe of Cleric’s Interactions With Armed Groups
The President of the Yoruba Youth Council (YYC), Mogaji Alawode Rahmon Akintunde, has strongly criticised Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi over a statement attributed to him describing Arewa as more “civilised” and suggesting that Southern groups should learn from the North.
In a statement made available to Freshvoice Newsmedia, Mogaji Alawode described the comment as “reckless, provocative and insulting,” warning that such ethnic comparisons could deepen division and tension in the country.
According to him, no region or ethnic group in Nigeria has the monopoly on civilisation or the moral authority to portray itself as superior to others.
“Who made Arewa superior to the Yoruba, Igbo or any other ethnic nationality in Nigeria? Yoruba civilisation predates modern Nigeria. Our history, culture, education, democratic contributions and achievements in national development are documented and cannot be erased by provocative rhetoric,” he said.
The Yoruba youth leader questioned the basis for presenting the North as a model for other regions amid the longstanding security challenges posed by terrorism, banditry and kidnapping in parts of Northern Nigeria.
Mogaji Alawode also called on the Federal Government and relevant security agencies to invite Gumi for questioning and investigate his controversial public interventions and acknowledged contacts with armed groups.
“We are calling for the immediate arrest and thorough investigation of Sheikh Ahmad Gumi. Nigerians deserve clarity regarding the nature of his interactions with armed groups. No Nigerian should be considered above lawful scrutiny,” he stated.
He stressed that freedom of expression should not be used to promote ethnic superiority, incitement or rhetoric capable of undermining peaceful coexistence.
Mogaji Alawode, however, urged Yoruba youths to remain peaceful and avoid being provoked, insisting that Nigeria can only progress through justice, equality and mutual respect among its diverse peoples.
“Nigeria belongs equally to all of us. No region is superior to another, and no ethnic nationality should be treated as second-class.
“The Yoruba people are peaceful, accommodating and civilised, but our restraint must never be mistaken for weakness,” he concluded.
