|
This clarification was contained in a release signed by one of the conveners, Comrade Shina Afuwa, where he asserted that, for the avoidance of doubt, the OYM was never a party to the any publication opposing to Akintoye’s emergence as Yoruba Leader.
The group that was the first Yoruba organization formed in 1994 to confront the military’s annulment of June 12, 1993 presidential election won by Chief MKO Abiola, therefore dissociated itself from some online publications purportedly signed by the Chairman of the Coalition of Oodua Self-Determination Groups (COSEG), Comrade Dayo Ogunlana in which the election of Professor Banji Akintoye as Yoruba Leader was called to question and further described in uncomplimentary terms.
“Furthermore, COSEG is a coalition that has a tradition of collating and synthesising the views of its member organisations, views that are concomitant with that of Yoruba sons and daughters before taking position on any issues that affect the Yoruba as a nation.
“There had not been such meeting since Professor Akintoye emerged as Yoruba Leader and as such no objective effort made to aggregate any objections or agitation among our members with respect to the process that led to his emergence. Thus, the so called publication was a handiwork of an overzealous undemocratic individuals who never did any consultations with member organizations.
“We equally contend the publication as misleading, ahistorical and illogical to
assert that Yoruba leaders do not emerge by election.
“Therefore, we of the Oodua Youth Movement are of the strong opinion that, at this time, there are issues of more importance than creating leadership tussles and bickering among the Yoruba umbrella organization, Afenifere. More so that the pedigree and qualifications of the leader so elected are not in doubt.
“It is our firmly held view that rather than amplifying perceived disagreement among the elders, the younger generation should focus more on cohesion and strategically
productive approach to confronting the socio-economic, political and security challenges
bedevilling the Yoruba nation,” the group concluded.
