Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams, has restated his beliefs in restructuring, declaring that it was the only option for unity and peace in Nigeria.
Iba Adams made this declaration while speaking at the 2019 edition of Europe Summit, organized by the Oodua Progressive Union (OPU) in Zurich, Switzerland, even as he said that Nigerians in the Diaspora had a role to play in projecting the image of the country positively to the world.
The Aare Ona Kakanfo, in a statement made available on Thursday to newsmen in Lagos by his media aide, Mr Kehinde Adeyemi, urged the Federal Government to use the resolution of the 2014 National Conference, as well as the 1960-1963 Republican Constitution as templates for restructuring.
Adams, who is also the global convener of the group presently in 87 countries across the world, while insisting that true federalism is truly the best option for Nigeria, also charged all members of the group to cultivate the habit of building an enduring trust among themselves.
The Aare Ona Kakanfo, however, admitted that the recent partnership between the Oodua Peoples Congress(OPC) and the Nigeria Police was beginning to yield positive results, saying the initiative had reduced the spate of insecurity in the South-West region.
ALSO READ:  Kogi guber: Another term for Gov. Bello marks end of Kogi ― Dino Melaye
“We all have a stake in the Nigerian project, because whatever happens to the Yoruba nation affects us, and whatever happens to Nigeria will definitely affect Africans and the world at large. Therefore, as the global convener of this noble group, my job is primarily to set the pace, as we continually promote and propagate the activities of our group,” he said.
Aare Gani Adams also enjoined all members of the group to bring investors to Nigeria, saying they should allow the country to feel their positive impact back home.
“You are the Nigeria ambassadors abroad, so, bring your friends, bring investors to Nigeria, let Nigeria feel your impact. Nigerians are looking forward to seeing you coming back home to develop your fatherland. We are expecting the best from you, it is when you bring your friends, business associates and investors that they can know, understand and appreciate the peculiar nature of the Yoruba people in Nigeria,” he said.
In his remarks, the guest lecturer, Alhaji Mallami Azeez, who spoke about “Unity as a Panacea for Growth and Development of the Yoruba nation,” said recent happenings in the country had shown that Yorubas can only get it right when there is peace and unity in the country.
Azeez highlighted the roles of the traditional rulers in ensuring security and safety of the people at the grassroots, appealed to the South-West governors to support and cooperate with the traditional rulers in ensuring peace across the region
“Efforts should be made to seek unity among the royal fathers, as well as all groups in the South-West because once they cooperate and work together as one big family, I think the region will definitely benefit from the new development,” the guest lecturer said.
Head of Chancery, Nigerian Embassy in Switzerland, Mrs Oluwakemi Amuda, tasked the group to do everything within its rank to build strong economic ties across all the 87 countries where OPU is present.
Amuda, who represented Nigeria ambassador in Switzerland, noted also that the relationship among members and countries should be based on mutual respect, and love, mostly, in the interest of the Yoruba race and Nigeria in particular.
“As a group of Yoruba indigenes in the Diaspora, I want to assure all members of OPU spreading across all the 87 countries in the world that with all of you coming together as one big family, Nigeria will, no doubt, regains its pride of place among the comity of great nations of the world.We have the potentials to become one of the great countries in the world”,she said.
OPU Europe Coordinator, Akinrogun Victor Adewale, in his remarks, urged members to be committed to the vision of the group, saying OPU would build strong ties, using the platform of the group to boost relationship across all the globe.
In the communique issued all the South- West governors were encouraged to work on the unity of traditional rulers, and other groups in the zone, while reiterating the need for effective security, unity and peace in Nigeria.
All members of the group in Europe, including the exco were present.
They include: Mr Jide Sanni, Mr Ojikutu, Mr Abdul Salam Akeem Babatunde, Mr Marc Oyetunde, Chief Gani Wahab, Mrs Oluwakemi Amuda, among others.
and then