By Tunde Rufai
The Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide (YCYW) and Yoruba Council of Women Worldwide (YCWW) both under the umbrella of the Igbimo Apapo Yoruba Lagbaye have asked their members to stay away from the proposed rally for Oodua Republic.
NEWSHERALDNG recalls that a Diaspora coalition, Yoruba One Voice (YOV), has said its proposed rally for Yoruba self determination slated for Oct. 1, is sacrosanct across the continents.
The group explained that the self determination rally tagged:”Oodua Republic” sensitisation campaign was designed to draw the attention of the global world to situation and happenings in Nigeria as well as to liberate Yoruba people in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, the YCYW and YCWW in a statement on Monday in Lagos disassociated themselves from the rally, saying that the entire plan for the rally was opaque.
The statement was jointly signed by Aare Oladotun Hassan, the President-General, Igbimo Apapo Yoruba Lagbaye; Mr Adekanbi Siyanbade, Executive Secretary, Igbimo Apapo Yoruba Lagbaye and Mr Adeleke Akeem, Executive Secretary, YCYW.
Other are: Aarebirin Ajetoke Oyekan, National Coordinator, YCWW and Erelu Lilian Ojukannaiye, Executive Secretary, YCWW.
The statement said that the plan rally was being carried out without due regards for groups and there were no consultations with stakeholders.
It said that the promoters of the rally had remained faceless with their real identities still shielded, especially with the recent denial by Prof. Banji Akintoye, President-General of the Yoruba World Congress (YWC) of a speech in favour of Oduduwa Republic.
According to the statement, the process is simply being carried out like a ‘headless chicken’.
“This singular treasonable and seditious acts to raise another flag in a territory of another nation, could lead to invasion and arm conflicts against the government.
“We therefore seize this medium to inform the whole world, and having earlier instructed and directed all members of Yoruba Council of Youths Worldwide, Yoruba Council of Women Worldwide and all our affiliate organisations not to promote any Oodua flags, emblems, insignia nor participate in the declared ‘YorubaExit Rally’ of 1st October, 2020.
“We have more pressing issues than fanning embers of crises; Nigeria currently needs collective fundamental intervention and rescue mission by our generation,” it said.
The statement said that since the elderly were leaving the scene soon, the YCYW and YCWW are earnestly working on building bridges of collaborations with our sister organisations within the Southern region of Nigeria under the aegis of the Southern Nigeria Group(SNG).
It said that such group comprised of Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, Istekiri Youth Council Worldwide, National Council of Ogoni Youths, and our counterparts in the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG).
The statement said they were working with like-minded bodies for an opportunity to dialogue on all and every affected areas of mutual concerns and raised fundamental demands, while proffering innovative ideas for lasting solutions to the country’s challenges.
It added: “Hence, our freedom lies in our collective destiny and not in the street protest. We need more unity in Yoruba land to succeed on any Yoruba Agenda.
“However, we must first aim to clean the Augean political stables internally, and ask all our elected or selected political leaders to show transparency, integrity, service and give maximum accountability based on absolute fidelity and prudency in the management of our resources.”
