The Ilana Omo Oodua on Saturday stated that the infighting in the group was caused by “pseudo-Yoruba nationalists who are paid agents of the Fulani oligarchy to malign and destroy” the leaders.
The Yoruba Self-Determination Struggle, also known as Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide has rejected the resignations of Professor Banji Akintoye and Wale Adeniran as leader and chairman respectively.
The Ilana Omo Oodua on Saturday stated that the infighting in the group was caused by “pseudo-Yoruba nationalists who are paid agents of the Fulani oligarchy to malign and destroy” the leaders.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that Professor Akintoye resigned as the leader of the group which led to the emergence of Wale Adeniran as the chairman.
However, while the group's leadership was still grappling with Professor Akintoye's resignation, Adeniran also resigned as chairman on Saturday over allegations of fraud.
Adeniran stated that he resigned from the IOOW in order to allow for a thorough investigation, and he urged Yoruba elders to form a committee in this regard.
He had said, “I want to use this medium to step aside as Chairman of Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, as member of Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, I step down as the participant in the Yoruba Nation struggle so as to allow for unfettered investigations of all these allegations.”
Meanwhile, notable members of the group and members of the Council led by High Chief Femi Afolabi had rejected their resignations, claiming that the duo remained the group's leader.
This was revealed at a media briefing held on Saturday at the Press Centre of the Nigerian Union of Journalists in Iyaganku, Ibadan, Oyo State.
He disclosed that the leadership of the group had met with the people concerned on the matter.
High Chief Banjo said Professor Akintoye and Adeniran had contributed immensely to the struggle and still had a lot to contribute to the actualization of Yoruba nation.
He noted that the leadership quality of Prof. Akintoye enhanced his revalidation and reaffirmation as the leader of the group till date.
According to him, “we are aware of a campaign of slander by some Pseudo-Yoruba Nationalists who are paid agents of the Fulani oligarchy to malign and destroy Prof. Akintoye's hard earned reputation based on puerile and pedestrian allegations that cannot pass a kindergarten test of empirical verification.
“We implore Prof. Akintoye not to be disheartened. We feel his anguish at advancing the Yoruba cause even in the most inconvenient way in exile by deploying his meagre resources derived primarily from his pension allowances, stipends from his children, and occasional royalties from the books he authored to carry out Yoruba agenda programmes.”