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 set to occur at the institution’s Oduduwa Hall.
Group leaders Prophet Ayodele Ologunloluwa and Comrade Oyegunle Oluwamayowa Omotoyole condemned the university’s decision, highlighting that it was funded by the Western Yoruba Government.
Despite the cancellation, the event, which commemorates the end of the Kiriji War in 1886, was relocated to another venue in Ile Ife and still attracted a large crowd from various states, including the South West, Edo, Kwara, Kogi, and Delta.
Renowned historian Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye emphasized the Yoruba people’s desire for autonomy, stating, “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 abrupt cancellation and urges 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 stressed the importance of protecting the Yoruba language and cultural heritage.
The event included lectures on Yoruba history, anthropology, and security concerns, underscoring the significance of unity and peaceful coexistence among the Yoruba people.