Yoruba Resolves to Focus on Unity for Prosperity …Akintoye calls for Yoruba renaissance

Groups and people of Yoruba origin across the world have resolved to forge an active global alliance in pursuit of the defence and promotion of Yoruba culture and people all over the world as this is the best way to attain safety and prosperity of the Yoruba.

The resolve was made at the weekend at an online event hosted by the Yoruba World Congress (YWC). The event saw the largest ever gathering of Yoruba groups and leaders featuring over 1,800 delegates from 27 countries from five continents.

Speaking at the event, Yoruba Leader Emeritus, Prof Banji Akintoye, urged Yoruba people all over the world to wake up to and work for Yoruba renaissance in arts, business, science and technology and to start being their brothers’ keepers all over the world.

The Yoruba leader emphasised the need to revive the language and announced that various initiatives were in the making for the revival of the Yoruba language.

Also speaking at the event, veteran columnist and member of the YWC Leaders Council, Chief Tola Adeniyi, urged all Yoruba to focus on their capabilities and to build themselves.

Adeniyi noted that more than ever, Yoruba people need to rediscover their spirit of enterprise and self-reliance as Nigeria and its government does not seem capable of solving modern problems any more.

Also present at the event was Dr. Amos Akingbam, the NADECO and Afenifere chieftain.

Answering questions from participants from various parts of Nigeria and other Yoruba people in diaspora, Prof Akintoye noted that Yoruba and other nationalities currently incapacitated by the unworkable and debilitating unitary government would explore all peaceful and constitutional means to disengage themselves from the Nigerian contraption and assert their sovereignty within the shortest possible time.

Yoruba World Congress Secretary, General Prof Anthony Kila, who moderated the YWC Town Hall meeting, explained that the YWC, which now has chapters across the country, has consciously created roles for Yoruba in the Diaspora and Yoruba people not resident in Yoruba land.

Kila added that the YWC is working for a Yoruba Global Alliance towards peace and prosperity of the Yoruba people and the key points of the YWC agenda were ‘education, engagement and empowerment’.

Akintoye announced that the YWC would unveil series of activities around skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and investments to help alleviate poverty as well as to engage Yoruba bright minds and idle hands.