From Our Correspondent in Ibadan
A new Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, the Council of Yoruba Elders (CYE), says it emerged for the promotion of national unity and a front for secession.
Interim President of the group, Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, announced this at a media briefing, on Saturday in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Onigbinde said the CYE is poised to effectively contribute to building a strong Nigeria.
“The council is for national service, not sectional nor tribal service,” Onigbinde, a former Super Eagles Head Coach, said.
CYE, he noted, will give prominent Yoruba sons and daughters, opportunity to play roles in building a strong, unified Nigeria.
“The Yoruba, despite its huge population among black race, do not have a formidable and unified organisation with one voice.
“During the days of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Bola Ige, the Yorubas have one voice,” Onigbinde recalled.
According to him, CYE is ready to provide one voice that would enhance Yoruba’s position at the national level.
The president emphasised that Nigeria needed everybody’s contributions to her overall development.
Read Related News:
The interest of the Yoruba race and the nation in general, he said, is paramount to the CYE.
He implored the Yorubas to have trust in the new organisation, assuring that CYE was ready, focused and determined to provide a formidable image for the ethnic group.
On his nomination as the maiden President of CYE, Onigbinde said he took it as a call to national service.
“Over the years, the ugly trend of happenings in Yorubaland and the country has worried me.
“Now that I have accepted the position as a call to service, my duty is to put appropriate structures in place, so as to ignite the engine into immediate motion.”
Other members of the protem executive of the CYE are Dr Victor Taiwo, as Secretary General; Mr Hakeem Damola as National Treasurer and Erelu Tijani as National Financial Secretary.
Onigbinde said the council leadership would soon pay homage to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Eniitan Ogunwusi.
Do you have a flair for Citizenship Journalism? Share story(ies) of happenings in your area with The NewsZenith on WhatsApp: 08033668669 or thenewszenith@gmail.com
