• Seeks effective representation


Gboyega Akinsanmi and Ademola Babalola

The Secretary-General of Yoruba Agenda Committee on the ongoing consultations on the national conference, Dr. Kunle Olajide, Tuesday said there was no going back on the right to self-determination and regionalism agenda of the Yoruba nation.

Olajide, a former Secretary of the Yoruba Council of Elders and one of the respected voices in the zone, said the 2015 general election would not hold unless and until the resolutions of all the tribes and ethnic nationalities are strictly adhered to and implemented for continuous and peaceful co-existence of Nigeria as one entity.

Olajide, who described Monday’s meeting at Ishara-Remo, Ogun State where all Yoruba groups met under the aegis of Yoruba Assembly on National Conference also disclosed to journalists in Ibadan, yesterday that another Yoruba summit where all the Yorubas will sit together to present a common front, comes up on February 27.


He said the conference is the solution to the myriads of problems confronting the nation, adding:  “This national conference is timely and divine intervention for this country. It is the solution to the problems facing this nation. Look at Boko Haram crisis; if you want to have Sharia law in your region, there should be no problem about that.

“We have seen the beauty and Achilles heels of this country. And that is why we are insisting that since we are heterogeneous in nature as a country, our staying together as a nation should be reviewed for a solid foundation for another 100 years. 2015 elections should not hold until there is solution to how we want to be governed. Yorubas position should be respected. Power must not remain as it is; it should be re-organised. We want regional government comprising of the existing six states in the South-west.

“Presently, Nigerians are not happy with three arms of government viz executive, legislature and judiciary. We Nigerians must sit down together and determine how we want to be governed. We want new constitution and parliamentary system in place of the present presidential system of government which is extremely expensive.

“A saint will become a satan if he becomes a President in Nigeria today. Tafawa Balewa contested election in Bauchi and he later became prime minister. Also, the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo also contested in Remo, Ogun State and these great men later became leaders.

Parliamentary system is the best option for Nigeria because it will drastically reduce corruption ravaging us a nation. We have a right to self-determination.

Nigeria is presently in a state of undeclared  war and this is the auspicious moment for us as a nation to sit together and resolve our problems for future of this country and generations yet unborn.”

On his take on the preparedness for the conference, Olajide said: “We encourage groups to continue to meet on the future of the country. We want a New Nigeria and I envisage Nigeria that is not built from the roof but from the bottom up and with one single legislative list; central government and regional governments where revenue will be no more shared on the basis of existing local governments.

“We also want state and regional police where individual rights will be protected and indigenes/settlers rights protected too. A nation where resources domicile in your region will be extremely yours but few agreed remittances to the federal/central government.”

And in order to ensure that the various agenda are dutifully pursued at the conference, the conveners of the Yoruba Constitutional Conference have urged all stakeholders who are to nominate delegates to the forthcoming national conference to be cautious before endorsing anyone as a delegate.¨In a letter titled: ‘Imperatives of a national conference,’ the conveners advised that would-be delegates must not “trivialise the forthcoming national conference or reduce it to a platform for canvassing esoteric interests at the expense of all-inclusive national interests.”

The letter, which was written by Nigeria’s former national team captain, Chief Olusegun Odegbami, said the national conference “will soon commence and your organisation is expected to nominate some delegates. We have noticed that many are those jostling for a slot on your delegate’s list. ¨ We therefore want to appeal to you to be circumspect in endorsing anyone as a delegate on your platform. Whatever you do today shall be history tomorrow.”

The group refuted insinuations that those asking for a national conference are determined to break up the country.

“It is also important to correct the misconception that ethnic jingoists are pushing for a National Conference in order to break up the country. Agitation for National Conference was actually started by foremost civil society activists like the late former President of Nigerian Bar Association and pioneer chairman of Campaign for Democracy, Alao Aka-Bashorun, late Baba Omojola, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Comrade Shehu Sanni, and many others¨The group promised its readiness to work with all stakeholders “in a way that will empower this Conference to restructure Nigeria for the benefit of all Nigerians.”


Source: This Day