MATRIARCH of the Awolowo dynasty, Yeye Oodua, Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo, on Thursday, in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, warned that the Yoruba must not play a second fiddle in the next political dispensation. The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, Olubuse II and other prominent persons from Yorubaland, who met under the auspices of the Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF), also cautioned the Yoruba against becoming slaves in their own country. Chief (Mrs) Awolowo, who set the agenda at the four-hour meeting, held at the residence of the Awolowos, said the wake-up call was necessary because of the sidelining of the Yoruba in the present dispensation. She said in fashioning a way forward this time, the people must take cognisance of their enviable contributions that culminated in the present leadership in the country which had not been acknowledged by the authorities. She warned the people against compromising the collective interest of the race but to learnt from history in charting a new direction, preparatory to the next dispensation. Recalling how the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo made enormous sacrifices, including his readiness to be the second in command under an alliance between the defunct National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) and the Action Group [AG] in the First Republic, she said the lack of compromise from the other camp led to the collapse of the arrangement. According to her, most of the current national challenges are direct consequences of the unsuccessful alliance. Using the evergreen album of late artiste, Hurbert Ogunde, entitled Yoruba Ronu to stress the message, Chief (Mrs) Awolowo called for a sober reflection from the people and urged them to always speak with one voice, adding “We should know where we are coming from and where we are going.” Emphasising that there was nothing wrong in political parties merging, the matriarch, however, warned the people to learn from history and avoid a situation that could create further division among the race. Similarly, Oba Sijuade, in his goodwill message read by the Deputy Chairman of the Forum, Reverend Emmanuel Bolanle Gbonigi, underscored the need for sustained unity in Yorubaland and strongly warned against compromise by the political class. He expressed confidence that the Yoruba had always remained on top in the scheme of things as well as maintaining their commanding heights in the land. On his part, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae, said YUF was borne out of the pursuit of reconciliation in Yorubaland and cautioned “that disunity would never do the people any good.” He said everybody mattered in the current movement to reposition the Yoruba, adding that “nobody would reckon with us if we are not united.” Senator Bode Olajumoke harped on the need for discipline and spartan life style which he said, were part of the sterling qualities of Chief Awolowo, just as he called for the stepping up of efforts to bring all Yoruba in academic and professional groups on board the current initiative. In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the YUF noted that it was particularly disturbed by the recent appointments made by the Presidency, which had further aggravated the marginalisation, as no Yoruba person was considered worthy of appointments. The meeting, therefore, urged the president to take urgent steps to reverse the trend and do justice to the Yoruba people of the South-West. While acknowledging and expressing appreciation for the visits of the South/South leaders and the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to Yoruba leaders in Ikenne, the YUF stated that it was poised to encourage such interactions among the leadership of the various ethnic groups in Nigeria to promote understanding and strengthen the unity of the country. In addition, the forum affirmed support for the formation of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly (SNPA) and endorsed the efforts of southern leaders to consolidate the organisation, while expressing its preparedness to host the next conference in Ibadan in May this year. The forum also paid very special compliments to the Chief (Mrs) Awolowo, the founder and leader of the YUF, for her active support and participation at the meetings of the YUF, as well as her thought-provoking speech at the meeting, while praying that God would continue to grant her longevity of life. In attendance at the meeting were former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae; former Minister of Mines and Steel, Honourable Sarafa Ishola; Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor Akerele, Senator Tony Adefuye and Princess Bisi Sangodoyin. Others were Senator Femi Okunrounmu, Senator Omololu Meroyi, Dr Kunle Olajide, Senator Bode Olajumoke, Honourable Olaoluwatomi Soboyejo, Honourable Babasegun Saduku and Prince Wole Otenaike. Also at the meeting were the chairman, board of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engineer Jide Adeniji; members of the Yoruba community from Jos, Plateau State; the representative of the Awoist movement in New York, United States, Bari Salau; Mr Alabi Olusegun Obasanjo; Chief (Mrs) Abimbola Lawal; president, National Association of Yoruba Students, Ayo Gbologe; Barrister Muri Agboola, Alhaja Yetunde Aderibigbe, among others.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 05:07:58 +0000
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