Yoruba youths kick against Akintoye’s leadership

The Yoruba youths under the auspices of Yoruba Youth Groups Coalition (YYGC) on Tuesday kicked against the election of Professor Banji Akintoye as the leader of Yoruba nation, saying the action is capable of derailing the development and progress of the Yoruba race.

The youth who stated this during a press conference in Akure, Ondo State capital, stated that the choice of Akintoye as leader of Yoruba was designed to cause divisions among Yoruba elders.

Speaking on behalf of the group, the National Leader of Yoruba Youths, Eric Oluwole, and the coalition Spokesperson, Ojo Aremo, maintained that Afenifere remained the only umbrella body of the Yoruba nation.

They condemned the backyard and lopsided process that produced Akintoye as a leader for the Yoruba race and said, “We consider this fire brigade approach as one capable of achieving the total opposite of a desired result for the unification of the Yoruba race. This desecration must stop now.

“We wish to state without mincing words and unequivocally that the youths of Yoruba extraction vehemently denounce the declaration of Prof Akintoye as the leader of Yoruba race.

“We restate that for the time being, Afenifere remains our umbrella body and that support be given to the existing leadership.

“While we note the essence and need for a Yoruba leader at a critical point in time like this, the youth frowns at a backyard and lopsided process to produce a leader for the Yoruba race.”

The youth fingered some elements who are using the platform to achieve their personal and selfish interest and “are playing the cards of a spoiler prepared by those head bent at destroying the collective interest of our race.”

The group, however, charged Akintoye to put the interest of Yoruba race first and his name urging him not to tow the path of the hungry and money mongers who have been using his name to score a cheap political point and to destroy Yoruba collective heritage.

ALSO READ:  Gombe Bureau of Statistics berates MDAs over inaccurate data in circulation

The youth said it became imperative “for all the progressive youth groups of Yoruba extraction to call for caution and further actions capable of derailing the development and progress of the Yoruba race.

“We call for a more inclusive and unified process devoid of politics and political party colouration. Where all traditional institutions in the Yoruba nations will be duly involved.”

The youth expressed dismay over Akintoye’s acceptance as the leader of Yoruba and said “the emergence of Professor Banji Akintoye as Yoruba leader we believe can jeopardise our future if care is not taken because it has caused more disunity among Yorubas than any good.

“While his personality is not in the subject of debate, the process is shameful, unprofessional, despicable, barbaric and undermining the status of a Professor.

“We hence charge him to put the interest of Yoruba race first and his name, so as not to be shamefully recounted in history as saboteur of the Yoruba nation for personal aggrandizement.

“We consider the actions of these instigators as too insultive to our generation. Equally that Professor Banji Akintoye can stoop so low to accept the unknown leadership when there is a genuine existing structure is alarming.

“Yoruba youths will not entertain any further disunity among the Yoruba leaders, as we will consider any of such brooders of disunity as enemy of the Yoruba race and will declare them Persona non-grata henceforth.

“On this note, progressive Yoruba youth groups under this coalition, representing Yoruba land hereby reject and denounce the nomination and election that pronounced Professor Banji Akintoye as Yoruba leader.

“We are appealing to you to wait for your time. It is God that elevates and gives position to human. Smartness is dangerous, don’t be deceived and mortgage by those seeking to destroy you and disunite the Yoruba race further.

“We seek that Yoruba elders and leaders instead of channelling energy towards this path of disunity and unproductiveness should focus same to ensure our governors are accountable, help address the issues of insecurity in the Yoruba nation and empower our teeming hardworking youths. Our unity is undebatable,” the youths stated.