News Investigators/ A coalition of Yoruba groups, under the aegis of Yoruba World Congress (YWC), has passed a vote of confidence on Prof. Banji Akintoye as the leader of YWC.
The coalition passed the vote of confidence on Akintoye on Tuesday in Ibadan at a press conference to mark the first anniversary of the Congress and to assess the state of affairs of the Yoruba race.
The Convener, Odu’a Coalition Against Insurgency and Kidnapping in Yoruba land, Tunde Amusat, said leaders of various Yoruba groups in Nigeria were gathered to affirm the mandate given to Akintoye for the protection of Yoruba people and Yoruba land.
“You will recall that on Aug. 22, 2019, the leaders of almost 50 Pan Yoruba Self-determination Organizations assembled in Ibadan to unanimously elect Prof. Banji Akintoye as the Leader of the Yoruba Nation.
“Subsequently, the Yoruba World Congress came to be the umbrella organisation of the groups with Prof. Banji Akintoye as the president.
“Since that time, over a hundred Yoruba organisations, both in Nigeria and in the diaspora have been admitted into the YWC and still counting as members.
“While celebrating the one year anniversary of YWC, we also want to reaffirm our unalloyed confidence in the leadership of Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye.
“We wish to salute his uncommon courage and uncompromising doggedness in translating the Yoruba redemption agenda and vision into action within the context of the finest Omoluabi ethos and traditions,” Mr. Amusat said.
He further said that the admission of YWC into the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO) within a year of its existence was novel and commendable.
Mr. Amusat said that the Oodua Nation project was on course and appreciated the efforts of Akintoye and other leaders in that respect.
He said that the protection of lives and properties of the Yoruba and other ethnic nationalities domiciled in the South West geo political zone was of paramount importance to YWC leadership.
“The Yoruba World Congress is one and indivisible under the leadership of Emeritus Prof Banji Akintoye. There is no crisis within the YWC.
“We are not in contention with anyone or group. We remain unequivocally committed to the ideals of the Yoruba World Congress (YWC) as eloquently expressed by Prof. Banji Akintoye.
“The ideal is to establish a better, more promising future for our teeming youths and to ensure the peaceful achievement of the self-determination goals of the Yoruba nation,” Amusat said.
The group commended the courage exhibited by Southwest governors in the establishment of Amotekun.
It called on Federal Government to take a critical look at the Water bill at the National Assembly before it is passed so that no region in the country was put at disadvantage.
Also speaking, Dr Wale Adeniran said that what the group was displeased with the high rate of unemployment among the youths after years of graduation.
He urged the Federal Government to urgently find solution to the high unemployment that had escalated crime in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that present at the press conference were Taye Ayorinde, Abdulraheem Aduramigba, Kunle Adesokan, Ali Oyedeji among others.
