Oduduwa Republic long overdue — Gani Adams

 Aare-Ona-Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has said that the clamour for Oodua Republic was long overdue.

Also, a coalition of over 174 Yoruba groups in Diaspora, Yoruba One Voice, YOV, said the call for self-determination remained the last option for the Yoruba nation, insisting that long years of misrule, nepotism and failure to embrace true federalism and also tackle the protracted spate of insecurity across the country had been the bane of Nigeria. 

The group added that the southwest would no longer play second fiddle in the entity called Nigeria.

Gani Adams and YOV made their declarations during an International Webinar Conference where over 1,000 participants from all over the world expressed their readiness to seek justice and liberty for the South-West.

Those present at the conference, with the theme: "Dealing with critical fault-lines of a failed Federation: Is it to Unbundle or Restructure the Leviathan?’ were the guest speaker, Prof. Akin Alao; Aare-Ona-Kakanfo of Yorubaland, who is also the Grand patron of YOV, Iba Gani Adams; General Secretary, Dr. Sina Okanlomo; Prof.Olufemi Oluyeju, Prof. Kolawole Raheem, Prof. Kehinde Yusuf, Prof. Seun Kolade, Mogaji Gboyega Adejumo, Basorun Akin Osuntokun, Prince Adedapo Adesanmi, Olori Oluwakemi Adedipe, Mrs.Omoladun Orolugbagbe, Tokunbo Soyinka, Bamidele Seteolu, and others.    

In his remarks, Gani Adams said the voice of the people was the voice of God, adding that the attendance of participants at the conference was encouraging

He said: “YOV is a coalition of all Yoruba groups and socio-cultural organisations in the diaspora that came together to rescue the Yoruba race from a rudderless nation called Nigeria. We decided to raise our voices against the unjust system that had for a very long time become the nemesis of our race.

“A race of about 200 million people spreading across the world cannot continue to play second fiddle in a country called ours. We cannot continue to live in self-denial and complete hopelessness.”

He restated his beliefs in the ability of the Yoruba nation to recreate a better nation, stressing that the destiny of the Yoruba people had always been in their own hands.

Earlier in his welcome address, Dr. Shina Okanlomo gave reasons for the parley, saying Nigerians of Yoruba descendant in the Diaspora are worried about the growing trends of insecurity in the country.

The YOV scribe said the group was determined to recreate a nation that allowed justice, fairness, equity and transparency.

Yoruba always at receiving end — Okanlomo

Okanlomo, while admitting that the Yoruba race remains the most progressive and forward-looking, lamented that the South-West was always at the receiving end, despite the obvious fact.

“In the past, the progressives ideas and philosophies of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo as premier of the Western Region became the focus and templates for regional growth and development, especially, for other regions. 

“The glory of those years was noticeable in education, economy, infrastructure and other sectors, but today, the South-West has been zoomed out, through systemic political intrigues that tend to destroy our values for a just society,” he said.

He added that the group will map out workable and intellectual solutions that will take into account all areas that had since affected the development of Yoruba nation.

Forceful unity causes of crisis  — Prof Obayori

Also speaking, Prof. Femi Obayori stated that different nationalities that were forced together had been the causes of regional rivalries, political instability and social crisis. He stated that the Yoruba have the right to determine whether to be part of Nigeria or not. He added that if the forceful unity is causing crisis, it is better for each region to go separate.

British imperialists did damage to our unity — Prof Alao

In his lecture, Prof. Alao described Nigeria as a fractured federation, arguing that the British imperialists did more damage to the unity and sanctity of Nigeria than any other country in the world, even as he stated that failures of leadership remained the reason for continued agitations for a new Yoruba nation.

He said: “Nigeria is at a crossroads. The concept of our amalgamation was rooted in fraud, selfishness and distrust. And sadly too, the process of achieving independence and choosing our leaders have been so deficient. 

“There has always been a deliberate attempt by the North to frustrate the economic activities of the South-West.

“For instance, when insecurity persists, there will be famine when farmers could no longer go to their farms, educational system will be paralysed when students could no longer go to schools, so how do we secure the future when there is no food, no education?”

Alao said the prolonged spate of unrest and insecurity, including killings, kidnappings and banditry, became more pronounced when a particular section of the country determines the fate and destiny of other regions.