The Yoruba National Youth group has expressed outrage over Obafemi Awolowo University’s (OAU) last-minute cancellation of the Yoruba National Unity Day event, which was scheduled to take place at the institution’s Oduduwa Hall.
The group’s leaders, Prophet Ayodele Ologunloluwa and Comrade Oyegunle Oluwamayowa Omotoyole, condemned the university’s decision, stating that it was built with funds from the Western Yoruba Government.
The event, which commemorates the end of the Kiriji War in 1886, was relocated to another venue in Ile Ife and still drew a large crowd from several states, including the South West, Edo, Kwara, Kogi, and Delta.
Renowned historian Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye emphasized the Yoruba people’s desire for autonomy, saying, “There is no going back on Yoruba Nation autonomy… We Yoruba people want our independent and sovereign country as soon as possible”.
Key Demands and Concerns:
Reversal of Event Cancellation: The group demands an explanation for the sudden cancellation and calls for the university to reverse its decision.
Yoruba Autonomy: The Yoruba people seek independence and self-determination, citing years of harm and oppression.
Preservation of Yoruba Culture: Leaders emphasized the importance of protecting the Yoruba language and cultural heritage.
The event featured lectures on Yoruba history, anthropology, and security concerns, highlighting the significance of unity and peaceful coexistence among the Yoruba people
