Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan
Prof. Banji Akintoye, on Tuesday said his mission as ‘Yoruba leader’ is to ensure that the race takes back its pride of place in a ‘declining nation’ that Nigeria has become.
He spoke at the Olubadan Palace during a visit to the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji.
On Akintoye’s entourage were the Agbaakin Olubadan, Chief Lekan Alabi; Akogun Odu’a, Chief Tola Adeniyi and Leader of Yoruba Koya, Chief Deji Osibogun; Mr Kunle Adesokan, Mrs Ronke Akinlolu and Chief (Mrs.) Anike Obot, among others.
Akintoye, who said he turned down attempts to woo him to take the position by some concerned youths, recounted that he couldn’t help the situation later when the youths challenged him to put into practice all the plans and views he had written about over the years in the interest of the region.
He said although he was a founding member of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and had even written the party’s manifesto back in the years, Akintoye stressed that he was long done with partisan politics and would never be swayed to renege on his words.
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He said: “My agenda for the Yoruba race is simple. We are a strong nation and we have accumulated a great deal of strength in human power and in a whole lot of other things. It is not right that we should be declining with Nigeria.
“Nigeria is declining because of the way Nigeria is structured and because of the way Nigeria is governed. Even if we cannot change that, we can change our own destiny in Nigeria; that’s my agenda.
“I want to cry to the Yoruba people. First, do not be scared by the people who say they are coming to conquer, kill and destroy among you. Stand up, you are a great people, stand up and defend your land. There is nothing more than that.
Akintoye added: “Continue to honour our tradition of hospitality and inclusion of foreigners among us. Continue to do that. But if any foreigner comes and wants to disrupt our land, or to come and kill, maim and destroy among us, tell them they cannot succeed. That is the first thing.
“The second thing is that, there are many things we can change if we would pay attention to them. I want to call on the Yoruba people now and point out the things that we can do, so that we can change and change our destiny. A nation like Yoruba should not be producing millions of children from universities and other higher institutions of learning, who have no jobs, who have no prospects, who have no hope. We can change that and we must change that. There is hope.
“There are examples of countries where it had been done. We can do it too in Yoruba land in very many ways. Yoruba nation, you’re a great nation, defend your land. Yoruba nation, you are a great nation. You are a pacesetter at an important time in the history of Nigeria, Africa. Return to your position as pacesetters.
“I want to be able to enter every Yoruba man’s house, enter every office of a Yoruba governor. We’re not politicians, no partisanship whatever. We’re ready to change our lives and have a new order.”
In his response, Oba Adetunji thanked Akintoye for his resolve and acceptance to work for the progress of the Yoruba race.
The first class monarch assured him that his doors were open for consultation even at short notice, saying: “I am ready to adjust my itinerary to accommodate your visit and consultation at any given time.”
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