The leader of the Yoruba Nation self-determination struggle, Professor Banji Akintoye, has distanced himself from a congress of the apex body of the Yoruba self-determination struggle, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, scheduled to take place in Ibadan on Tuesday, November 1 (today).
Akintoye accused the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, of using some members of the self-determination struggle to destroy the movement because of his presidential ambition.
The IOO leader, who said this in a statement on Monday, said he had to do this to debunk the claim by Funmi Soyemi, the outgoing Chairman of the Ilana Interim Management Committee of the organisation, that a world congress of Ilana Omo Oodua will be held tomorrow in Ibadan.
Akintoye said, “The people planning the congress are few agents of Nigerian politicians within the struggle. Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, is currently recruiting some power-seeking individuals within the self-determination struggle to either discredit me or destroy the movement completely.
“I am sending out this short message to all Yoruba people worldwide that I did not authorise any meeting of Ilana Omo Oodua to be held tomorrow in Ibadan, Oyo State. Those behind the gathering are a few people working for Nigerian politicians who are determined to discredit our noble struggle.
“I hereby dissociate myself from such a gathering and I want the whole world to know the meeting is illegal, unauthorised, and unknown to Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide. Thus, whatever resolutions are reached at the meeting are null and void.”
“As a result, I implore you to disregard all of his agents within our system and become more focused on our struggle for freedom and liberation.”
