Stakeholders Brainstorm On Way Forward For Yoruba Race |The Source

By Ayodele Oni

Former Vice Chancellor, University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU) Prof Wande Abimbola, Emeritus Prof of history, Prof Banji Akintoye and Akogun Tola Adeniyi are among prominent Yoruba advocating unity and cohesion among the people in the face of various crimes.

Their call, coming on the wake of incessant kidnappings, raping, wanton killings and other vices, is under the Coalition of Yoruba Interests Group (CYIG).

According to them, it is only a united people that could ensure self-defense against the vices and have self determination.

This is one of the resolutions of stakeholders after a zoom meeting in which participants were drawn across the world.

Part of the resolution states “it is time for Yoruba people to wake up and move forward to revive their true destiny by actualising self determination for the Yoruba Nation and forestall the impending genocide being perpetrated by some rogue Fulani herdsmen.

In his speech,  Chairman of the occasion, Emeritus Prof Abimbola charged the Yoruba to unite and face the criminals intent on destroying their ancestral homeland.

He lamented over the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Government’s insensitivity to  the alleged genocide going on in the South West and South East of Nigeria.

In his own contribution, the leader of the Yorubas and Emeritus Professor of History,  Banji Akintoye gave historical antecedent of the Fulani and their mission to wipe out the people of the South West and South East.

He emphasised that the Fulani could not lay claim to any land they could call their own in Africa and as such want to destroy other tribes to give room for their callous ambition.

In a keynote address titled: “Actions of Virtous People at a Perilous Time”, the Global Coordinator of the Oodua Action Movement (OAM), Otunba Demola Edward stated that it was obvious that the present federal government has no plan for the present and future, hence  the need for the emerging Yoruba Nation which should be driven by vision.

According to him, only those who can operate at higher mental level, with outstanding antecedents, should be at the helm of Yoruba affairs.

He also advised that the Yoruba Nation must resist attempts by ambitious individuals in pursuit of personal ambition at the detriment of its citizenry from attaining the pinnacle of power.

“It is our humble opinion that people-oriented visions should be about the common good of those being represented by their elected officers.

“Our vision for a better society is for us to ensure that those who cannot separate vision from ambition, and those who are incapable of conceptualizing a vision should not emerge as leaders in Yoruba Nation.”

He further stressed that the aim of Yọruba nation should be “to steer the away from a potential rudderless state of affair evident in Nigeria now than any other time in our history.”

This is because “it is apparent that the Fulani supported by the Federal Government of Nigeria are hell bent in taking over our ancestral homeland because of the natural resources for which the southwest is well endowed.

“It is therefore pertinent that all Yoruba of various interests groups should come together at this crucial and very critical time in our history to chart a new course for our nation.”

Also, veteran journalist, Akogun Tola Adeniyi in his contribution, said the programme was well conceived and that the Fulani need to be sent out of the Southwest.