Fresh crisis rocks Yoruba World Congress as leadership tussle deepens

Fresh crisis is currently rocking the leadership of Yoruba World Congress (YWC) as an Assembly of Yoruba Groups declared that Professor Banji Akintoye is no longer the leader of Yoruba ethnic nationality.

This was contained in a communique issued at the end of a meeting held in Ibadan on Thursday by the Assembly of Yoruba Groups.

But the Communication Manager to Prof Akintoye, Maxwell Adeleye, said his principal still remains the Yoruba Leader, saying the people that have been saying Akintoye has ceased to be the Yoruba Leader have agenda.

According to Adeleye, what actually happened at the meeting was that a call was made for voice votes that those in support that Akintoye should continue as a Yoruba Leader should say ‘aye’ and those against should say ‘nay’, adding that nobody said nay as all in attendance said ‘ayes’.

But the Assembly of Yoruba Groups, in the communique made available to journalists, noted that in view of Akintoye’s movement to Ilana Oduduwa and his dumping of Yoruba World Congress, the Assembly of Yoruba Groups Worldwide in its second Assembly after the first one held on August 22, 2019, hereby states that Prof. Akintoye no longer remains the President of YWC.

The communique was signed by people, including the Baale of Ekotedo in Ibadan, Elder Taiye Ayorinde; Chief Imam of Yoruba in Ilorin, Sheikh Abdul-Raheem Aduranigba; as well as Victor Taiwo, George Akinola, Bishop George Adegbolagun, Prince Eric Oluwole, Pa Olalere Ayalu, Bayo Sangotikun, and Taiwo Otitolaye.

The communique read in part: “To maintain the identity of the Yoruba World Congress but with the slight modification of an affix ‘International’ in order that we don’t throw the child away with the bath water. Thus, what we have now is Yoruba World Congress International.

“Rather than allow a vacuum to take place in the leadership of YWC International, we have proposed to carry along all the leaders of the organisations present to form what is known as the General Assembly so that everybody will have a sense of belonging unlike in the past 12 months.

“Before the constitution of the General Assembly, comprising the leaders of the organisations, it is proposed that we have an 11-man Interim Governing Council, which will regulate the affairs of the body, pending the inauguration of the General Assembly.”

Elder Ayorinde is expected to be the chairman of the proposed members of the Interim Governing Council. (Daily Sun)