R-L: Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmi Olayinka, President General, Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Gen Adeyinka Adebayo (rtd) and General Secretary of the Council, Chief Idowun Sofola at the General Assembly of the Council which held in Ado- Ekiti…on Tuesday.
Yoruba Elders have been challenged to use their God given wisdom and the native intelligence they are endowed with to scrutinize the current security challenges in Nigeria and take proactive measures to forestall any incursion into the South West and ward off any criminal minded individuals or groups from assaulting the peaceful co-existence of the region.
Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi gave this charge at the meeting of the Yoruba Council of Elders, “Igbimo Agba Yoruba”, held at Lady Jibowu Hall, Government House Ground, Ado – Ekiti, on Tuesday.
The Governor said no time is better than now for the Yorubas who are the proud descendants of Oduduwa to go back to their inner recesses and have a deep reflection on how to unite and reposition themselves to occupy their rightful places in the Nigeria federation.
Governor Fayemi who was represented by his Deputy, Mrs. Funmi Olayinka at the forum, noted that the major bane in the corporate development of the race and region is the inability to speak with one voice, especially in the recent past, which unscrupulous elements in the Nigeria polity have explored and used intensely against the Yoruba nation.
He described as unfortunate and traumatic to note that the average Yoruba man is interested in pecuniary gains even if it requires that his fatherland should be offered for sales and cautioned that such things should stop in the interest of peace and general development of the South West.
Mr. Governor, who canvassed for the support of the Yoruba Elders for the regional integration agenda of administrations of those who are in the helms of affairs in the sates that make up the region added that the wise counsels and supports of the elders would ba a great boost to their efforts.
In his opening address, the President General of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), General Adeyinka Adebayo, (rtd) explained that the group is a non-political, non-sectarian socio-cultural organization founded purposely for the protection of Yoruba culture and interests in Nigeria and in the Diaspora and it comprises Yoruba sons and daughters aged fifty years and above.
General Adebayo disclosed that the group which was inaugurated in year 2000 has been involved in various activities and intervened in whatever and wherever Yoruba interests, either individually of collectively, has been threatened.
He commended Governor Kayode Fayemi for the tremendous progress his administration has brought to bear in Ekiti in the close to two years in the areas of education, agriculture, youth empowerment and most especially the welfare package for the aged which affects most of YCE members.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Protem Chairman of the YCE in Ekiti State, Chief Joel Babatola noted that Ekiti people have consistently played positive roles in the affairs of Yoruba nation since the seat of government was established in Ibadan in 1951 and that leaders and representatives of Ekiti at both legislative and executive levels have been known to be forthright and would continue to be.
Chief Babatola, whose address was read by Chief Deji Fasun thanked the State Government, particularly the Governor, for hosting the
meeting and charged the Yoruba elders to take a critical look at the injustice inherent in the Nigeria society and strive to make appropriate representation to the authorities to address the imbalance.
Last modified: July 17, 2012
