Sola Popoola
The Yoruba Leaders of Thought ( Egbe Ilosiwaju Yoruba) has called for cessation of hostility between the two prominent Yoruba monarchs – Kabiyesi Ooni and Iku baba yeye, Alaafin of Oyo .
A statement by the National Secretary of the group Hon Bayo Aina on behalf of the National Leader, Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi titled
” Time to Sheath The Sword” expressed concern over supremacy duel .
The group urged the two monarchs to kindly put an immediate end to the recent schism, the fallout of which has taken over the airwaves – print media and Internet in the recent past .
It noted with great pain the damage that the current distraction characterized by the digging up centuries old accounts to ridicule or lionise one party or the other is causing Yoruba people globally.
” Rather than using such narratives for the purpose of forging unity and a sense of pride among our people, narratives that can help us in fulfilling our manifest destiny as a leading group among the black race, historical narratives have been wesponised into a tool to promote discord and resentment.
“We are distraught that at a time when every hand should be on deck to support and ensure unquestionable success of one of the most illustrious yoruba leader and Son Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu President and Commander in Chief of the armed forces of Nigeria , some of our foremost leaders at various levels are more or less fueling this fire which appeared to have started from Ile Osanyin as it were.
“It is saddening that many of our leaders are taking sides in a narrative that has no capacity to transform the current struggles of our people in Nigeria into a resounding victory over the existing Technological and Developmental gap between us and the rest of the world.
“We call on the executive Governors of Oyo and the State of Osun to initiate an immediate ceasefire between our revered Royal fathers and their supporters .
“We appeal to Southwest Council of Obas to have a standing Committee that will act to nip similar schism in the bud in future before they detract from the honour and awe that we hold our traditional rulers. In the event that such Protocols already exist, this channel should be utilised more in future to prevent a repeat of this current embarrassment.
“We also want to seize this opportunity to commend Mr President for the choice of chief Opeyemi Agbaje as the chairman of the Pension Commission of Nigeria Pencom. Mr Agbaje is an excellent embodiment of Legal and Financial knowledge , gathered over more than three decades of hands on experience.
” While congratulating Chief Opeyemi Agbaje for this well deserved appointment, Yoruba Leaders of Thought wish him all round success in this onerous task, whose biggest challenge will be to drastically reduce the incidence of old age poverty which is ruthlessly rampaging pensioners across the world including Nigeria.
“We believe that Prudent and profitable management of pension funds, and easy access without compromising the integrity of the system will ensure that pensioners have a more Comfortable retirement.”The statement added