Stop Nigerian youths from joining Ukrainian army volunteer, Olowu tells FG

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

The Olowu of Kuta, His Royal Highness, Oba Adekunle Makama, Tegbosun III, has urged the Federal Government to stop Nigerian youths from joining Ukrainian army volunteer, saying that it will be counter productive.

The monarch, who stated this on Thursday in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Osogbo, noted that if this initiative is allowed by the Federal Government, the end result will not be palatable.

He, therefore, admonished young Nigerians who are patriotic to join the Nigerian Army to confront the Boko Haram and other security issues bedeviling the country.

Oba Makama explained that other countries are reviewing the situation with a view to finding lasting solution, noting that allowing Nigerians to join the Ukrainian Volunteer Army will amount to Nigeria taking sides and contributing troops.

This, according to the monarch, can result in a diplomatic row because Nigerians reside both in Russia and Ukraine.

He said: “Our youths willing to fight for Ukraine is not patriotism because we have our citizens in both countries. Secondly, if they want to show their patriotism, they should join the Nigerian Army to confront the security issues bedeviling the country. And thirdly, we don’t want a situation where these young people will go to a foreign land and be indoctrinated and become terrorists in the future. The young people are the future of this country, we should not allowed them to be a canon folder in a needless war and thus becoming diplomatic issue”.