Group Backs Akintoye As Yoruba Leader
The Coalition of Oodua Self-determination Groups (COSEG), said there was never a time it took any position opposing the emergence of Professor Banji Akintoye as Leader of Yoruba in Nigeria.
In a statement signed by the General Secretary of the Coalition, Comrade Razaq Olokoba said, decisions on fundamental issues affecting the Yoruba, including organisational, alliance-related and leadership issues are usually discussed at meeting of delegates of member organisations of the Coalition.
COSEG was disassociating its members from online publications purportedly signed by one Mr. Dayo Ogunlana denouncing the election of Professor Banji Akintoye as Yoruba Leader, asserting that, “there was never a time COSEG took such position on the matter.”
Such meetings, according to the statement, were not held since Prof. Akintoye was elected Yoruba Leader, neither was there consultation at any level of organisation before the purported statement was issued.
“Further, the claim made in the publication that Yoruba leaders are usually not elected but always emerge is rather frivolous and unmindful of the democratic essence of modern socio-cultural and political organisation.
“If in the past leaders had emerged by consensus, it merely signified that there were discussions and agreements rather than imposition, which still made the process democratic. The election of Professor Banji Akintoye merely carried this further by acknowledging minority position if not dissent, which in all sense is a positive development.
“We therefore wish to categorically state that the position espoused in the publication purportedly by Mr. Dayo Ogunlana, is uninformed, insensitive to the leadership need of the Yoruba at this critical time of political, social, economic downturn and gruelling state of insecurity, and as such does not represent the views of the coalescing groups, either individually or collectively,” COSEG stated emphatically.
