It’s high time people of South united ―Ooni, others

THE Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and other traditional rulers, including Attah of Igala, Dr. Michael Amen Oboni; the Jaja of Opobo, King Dandeson Douglas; the Oba of Benin His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolopolo, on Wednesday in Lagos all agreed that flowing from the historical linkages of the people of the South, it is high time the people unite.

The royal fathers, as well as leaders, including the Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Professor of History, Prof Banji Akintoye, among others, spoke at a Conference on African Origins, described as the beginning of an extensive public awareness to enlighten and empower the black African with their true genetic and cultural histories.

It followed a new scientific evidence on the dominance of the Yoruba genetics in the evolution of black race all over the world as presented by the author of The Blackworld: Evolution to Revolution, Prince Justice Faloye.

While agreeing that they share common ancestors also unanimously agreed to work together in peace henceforth.

Speaking at the event on the new findings, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi urged the people of the southern part of the country to return to back to the era of their common ancestry and unite for peace and progress.

“You have heard series of lectures and a couple of speakers. It is about time to unite and be one and speak with one voice, especially we the aborigines. We that we have a lot of similarities.

“United we stand, divided we fall. Everything is there for us to see. Let us come together for the sake of generation yet unborn. We cannot continue like this,” the Ooni said.

According to him, it is better for the people of South to speak with one voice and protect one another across the board, saying the generation yet unborn would be happy with such development, even as he warned that there was a serious danger in the division.

“If we speak with one voice and protect one and other across the board, the generation yet unborn will be happy. We cannot continue to be divided. We are killing ourselves. Let us look inwards to take our region to the next level. It is very critical for us to know our culture. Look at Japan, China, India, even the USA, they did not jettison their heritage,” Ooni Ogunwusi said.

Earlier, the President, Genetic Society of Nigeria, Prof Kwon Ndung, who spoke on the topic: “An Overview of the Genetic/DNA Studies on Origin, Migration and Diversity of African People from the Background of the Human Genome Project,” said studies have since established both genetic and cultural links between the Yoruba, Ibo, Igala, Tiv, Udoma and other major tribes in the South.

According to Ndung, a complete sequence of pooled DNA extracted from cells donated by anonymous donors had established that 70 per cent of Nigerians were the original Africans.

According to King Jaja of Opobo, “This is the best thing we are doing now to promote our culture and homogeneity. I am happy to be here. Let us tell the government that a nation without history can go nowhere.

“We should come together. The Civic Study they teach in schools cannot replace history. So, this lectures should be put together as a compendium for generations to come to learn about our history.”

President, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, was particularly excited about the discovery of the common ancestors shared by the Yoruba, Ibo and other tribes in the Southern part of the country, saying that he was extremely delighted to be part of the gathering.

“I’m extremely delighted to be here. What I have heard today, not just from the scholars, but also from the traditional rulers elates me.

“One thing that is clear is that in the
evolution tree, the world started in Africa. What this goes to show is that we are the same but colonial rules and postcolonial military ruler has bastardised our origin and disfigured our imagination.This symposium has opened our eyes to our commonalities. I invite you to hold this symposium in Enugu so that out people can learn about our common origins,” Nwodo said.

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Prof Akintoye also agreed that the findings must be thought to the children, saying it must be proclaimed ion the rooftop that the original black people had discovered their history.

“We must push it forward. We must teach it to our children. We must proclaim it on the rooftop that the original black people have discovered our history,” Akintoye said.